


Like Magnetic Poles

by pinecontents, sohox



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - Never Met, Hook-Up, M/M, Opposites Attract, Punk!rhett, prep!link, this is not a slow burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:34:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 32,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21976474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinecontents/pseuds/pinecontents, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sohox/pseuds/sohox
Summary: A chance encounter leads to two very different people hooking up at a party, but is mutual attraction really enough to sustain a relationship?
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 78
Kudos: 157





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> @sohox read Lake Vibes, got to the part where they shared pictures from where they were younger (Rhett's very punk, Link's very preppy) and said "THAT'S the story I want to read" so here we are.

The dark-haired guy glanced around the room and sighed. He should have asked more questions before agreeing to come to this party. A local band concert in a living room? It sounded cool, but it turned out to be a hardcore punk show. The music was loud and aggressive, and so was the crowd. The prevailing fashion leaned towards leather jackets, black boots and clothing, piercings, and dyed hair.

He was wearing khakis and a dress shirt.

It wasn’t his music, it wasn’t his scene, the friend he came with ditched him to hook up with some girl, and the other partygoers kept looking at him weird. Time to escape. He finished his third beer and tossed his empty Solo cup in the trash on his way out the door. The patio and yard were also filled with strangers, but there was a little park across the street. He wandered over and sat on a bench under a streetlight. The house was behind him, and he could still hear it, but it was far away enough that he was able to relax, at least a little bit.

A few minutes later, he heard footsteps approaching behind him. His friend, perhaps, hookup fallen through? The dark-haired guy turned. It wasn’t his friend. It was a stranger. 

The dark-haired guy recognized him from the party, though. It would be hard not to. He had to be nearly a whole head taller than the dark-haired guy, who wasn’t short himself. He had a leather jacket covered in studs and pins, a short reddish beard, and a shock of bleached white hair.

He stood next to the bench and lit a cigarette as he stared down at the dark-haired guy, who looked up in mild apprehension. Neither spoke. Finally, the blond guy took a drag of his cigarette and said, “What’s a nice boy like you doing in a place like this?”

The dark-haired guy blinked. “Excuse me?”

“I was watchin’ you inside. You look like you got lost on your way to some fuckin’ frat party.”

His brow furrowed a little behind his dark glasses. “Why do you care?”

The blond guy shrugged as he ashed his cigarette. “My friend pointed you out. She’s been telling me to find a nice boy to ‘corrupt’ for a while.” He made finger quotes at that. “Said the uptight ones are the most fun once you get them to relax. You were hiding in the corner looking miserable, so you seemed like a good candidate.”

He watched with interest as about six different emotions crossed the dark-haired guy’s face in quick succession and wondered which one would win. It turned out to be pained exasperation. He squeezed his eyes closed. “Please go away.”

“So polite! But no.” The punk guy flicked the butt of his cigarette down onto the concrete and ground it under the toe of his boot before sitting next to the dark-haired guy, who flinched.

“I’m not gonna bite you. Jesus,” he said. “You really do need to relax.”

He didn’t relax. “I just wanna go home,” he mumbled.

“Why don’t you?” The punk guy was certainly relaxed. He stretched his long legs out in front of the bench and draped an arm over the back.

“Still too drunk to drive.” The preppy guy looked over and examined the stranger. He was good looking and while he wasn’t into the whole punk aesthetic thing, it worked here. In other circumstances, he might not mind hooking up with him.

“Guess I won’t offer you any whiskey, then.”

“Thanks.” The dark-haired wasn’t sure what he was thanking the blond guy for, that he was willing to offer whiskey, or that he was willing to not offer whiskey. He propped his elbows on his knees and rested his chin in his hands. It didn’t really matter. The blond guy watched him in silence.

Finally, the preppy guy said, “Why are you still here? Don’t you have a show to watch? A nice boy to corrupt?”

“Already found a nice boy.” The punk guy nodded at him.

The dark-haired guy stared at him in blank astonishment. “I am _not_ having sex with you!”

The punk guy just raised a perfect dark eyebrow in response.

“You have _got_ to be kidding me.” The preppy guy jumped up and whirled around. “Where do you get off—” he was cut off by the other guy bursting into laughter.

“Honestly, I was kind of hoping it would be behind those trees over there.” He pointed off to the side.

“You...what...ugh!” The dark-haired guy threw his hands in the air. “What the hell is your problem, man?”

“What’s _your_ problem? Scared?” The blond guy hadn’t moved from his lounging spot on the bench.

“No!” As soon as it burst out of his mouth, he knew it was the wrong thing to say. The punk guy smirked at him.

“You know, when I first saw you, I thought you were pretty lame in that pink shirt, but you might actually be okay.”

“It’s Nantucket red.” This was an even worse thing to say.

“What?”

“This color. It’s called Nantucket red.” He hoped that the streetlight wasn’t strong enough to let the punk guy see his Nantucket red blush.

The punk guy regarded him for a moment. “It’s fucking pink, man.”

The dark-haired guy leaned over and poked him in the chest. “And _you_ are a fucking—”

Quick as a flash, the punk guy grabbed his arm and pulled him close. “Prove it.” The preppy guy could smell whiskey and cigarettes, and didn’t hate it.

“What?”

“Prove it. If you’re not scared, prove it.” The punk guy pulled him closer and stared into his eyes. They were gray, or maybe green. It was hard to tell under the streetlight.

There was a silent battle of wills, and then the dark-haired guy leaned forward and kissed him. The punk guy kissed back eagerly and hauled him into his lap.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The dark-haired guy was even prettier the more turned on he got. The punk guy was pretty sure his eyes were blue, although it was hard to tell in the streetlight. His hair looked pitch black, and got messier and messier the more he ran his hands through it. He sounded nice, too, all breathy gasps, and felt nice under the blond guy’s hands.

The preppy guy reached down and slid his hand over his crotch. “I’m still not letting you fuck me,” he gasped.

“How about you suck me off instead?” the punk growled into his ear.

In response, the pretty guy squeezed his erection through his jeans and slid off his lap. The blond guy followed him into the little stand of trees and leaned back against one of them as the dark-haired guy sank to his knees in front of him.

The pretty guy was not just a pretty face, he thought as the smaller man sank down on his knees. His face turned up, staring at the blond guy with those pale eyes. He palmed him through the cloth of his pants, thumb grazing the outline of his cock. He took one long look at the complicated buckle of the heavy studded belt before shaking his head and worked the zipper down instead, pulling the blond guy’s cock out through his fly. He leaned in, mouth warm and wet, tongue finding the smooth underside of the shaft. The blond guy groaned, thunking his head back against the tree, one hand reaching down to run his fingers over the curves of his partner’s jaw. The gentle teasing quickly gave way to a hungry intensity. The pretty guy experimented with taking him deeper, mouth sinking down lower on his hard cock. It was clear that they were both enjoying it equally. Suddenly, the bleached blond came hard, hips stuttering forward as he spilled into pretty guy’s mouth. He swallowed it all, licking up every last drop. The dark haired guy sat back on his heels and wiped his mouth. “Wow,” he said.

“‘Wow’ is right.” The blond guy dragged him to his feet and kissed him deeply. He pulled a flask out of his jacket and took a gulp before offering it to the pretty guy. He only hesitated a moment before taking a swig.

“That was fun. We should do it again sometime.” The blond guy lit a cigarette. “But I gotta go.”

The dark-haired guy stared at him in shock. “Wha…”

“See ya round.” The punk turned and walked back towards the house to rejoin the party.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

The preppy guy stood in the little stand of trees with a raging erection, a sense of betrayal, mud and grass stains all over his knees, and even longer to wait before he was sober enough to drive.

“Fuck,” he said.


	2. Chapter 2

Link was pretty much over his humiliation after a month. No one else knew about it, at least. It was his secret that he masturbated there in the little stand of trees immediately after the punk guy left, and then hid there until he sobered up. No one saw him slink off to his car in his muddy khakis.

He didn’t go to any more parties at the Salt Water Taffy house (as it turned out to be called), for all that his friend Corey invited him. Link wasn’t sure if it was because the parties sucked, if he was afraid to run into the punk guy again, or both. It was probably that the parties sucked, he decided. It wasn’t like he was having a good time before his disastrous hookup.

Text from: Corey

(Corey): hey did you know there’s a record store in eastport

(Link): no

(Corey): miller records

(Corey): lots of that vinatge shit you like

(Corey): seemed pretty cheap too

(Link): where is it exactly?

(Corey): [img]

It was a picture of his receipt, showing the address of Miller Records. It was only about a twenty minute drive away. Corey paid fifteen dollars for three records. His guilty pleasure was 80’s hair metal, and he was always on the hunt for something new to add to his collection. Link was the same, though his tastes leaned more to vintage country.

(Link): thanks for the heads up

(Link): probably gonna check it out this weekend

(Corey): good luck bro

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Miller Records was tucked away in an independent shopping district, all little boutiques and stores that sold locally produced items. The wooden framed door was battered, and the big glass window front was plastered with band stickers and fliers for shows. Link shoved open the door and a bell jingled. 

The girl at the counter looked up. She had long blue-green hair. “Hi. Just let me know if you need help finding anything, okay?”

“Okay, thanks.” Link looked around. The floor was smooth concrete, painted a deep blood red, and the walls were charcoal gray and decorated with posters and album covers. There were a few cases of memorabilia up by the counter, but overall the store was dominated by rows and rows of bins full of records.

“Wow.” Corey was right, they had a lot of records. Link started searching through them. As always, his holy grail was a Merle Haggard album that he didn’t already have.

And wonder of wonders, they had one. Ramblin’ Fever, 1977. He held it reverently as he continued to peruse the bins. Eventually he settled on a few more records and headed to the counter to checkout.

Link froze. The turquoise-haired girl was gone, replaced with a very tall man with a beard and bleach blond hair.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The blue haired girl stuck her head into the break room. “Hey, Rhett, I gotta go to lunch. I’m meeting my mom and if I’m late she’s gonna freak.”

“Okay.” Rhett hauled himself up from the crappy folding chair. “Have a nice lunch.”

“Thanks. Should be pretty slow, there’s just one guy out there.” She collected her purse and jacket and breezed out. Rhett followed her and took his place at the counter.

The lone customer didn’t notice the change of staff. He was bent over and intently rifling through the records with his back to Rhett, who took the opportunity to lean against the wall and space out.

He was writing a song with his friend Marissa, or trying to, at least. Their band, Apocalypstik, had an upcoming show and they wanted to debut a new song. Unfortunately, that would require them to actually finish it instead of fighting with each other. It was just a complete disaster. Rhett hummed to himself as he tried to figure out the melody.

Gradually, he became aware that the customer was standing in front of the counter, ready to check out. Rhett shook his head a little to clear it, and looked up.

The customer was tall and thin, with messy dark hair, bright blue eyes, and an irritated expression on his face.

“Oh,” was all Rhett could say.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Link considered putting his records down and fleeing, but he really, really wanted that Merle album.

He also wanted some answers.

Link dropped his stack of records on the counter and was gratified to see the blond guy flinch at the sound. He had green eyes and pierced ears stretched just enough to see through, and was wearing torn black jeans patched with what looked like cut-up graphic tees, and a ragged black hoodie.

“Do you have any idea,” Link began in a conversational tone, “just how humiliated I was? How stupid I felt? I mean, I know not to expect much from a drunken party hookup, but I kinda felt like maybe we had a little bit of a connection. Guess you didn’t, though, since you just walked off without even…” he made a jerking off motion.

“I’m sorry,” the blond guy said.

“Whatever.” Link shoved the records across the counter to be rung up.

The blond guy picked up the scanner gun and then put it down. He looked Link right in the eye. “No, I really mean it. I don’t want to be like, ‘oh, I was drunk,’ as if that fucking excuses it, but I was, and the next day I woke up and felt like shit about it. But what was I going to do, show back up at that house and ask around until someone maybe recognized my shitty description of you? I don’t even know your name.”

Link stared at him for a second, undecided. “It’s Link,” he said finally.

“Like from the Legend of Zelda?”

“No, like short for Lincoln.”

“Oh. Mine’s Rhett.”

“Glad we got that straightened out.” Link looked back down at the stack of records pointedly.

“Oh.” Flustered, Rhett started scanning the records. The one at the bottom was Ramblin’ Fever. He sucked in his breath. “I didn’t know we had this! I’ve never even seen this one before.”

Link glanced around the store. There had to be thousands of records. “Do you really know all the records in here?”

“What? No, this Merle record, specifically.” Rhett slid the records into a paper bag. “Someone else must have put it out, because I would have kept it.”

“You like Merle?”

“Yeah, he’s my favorite.”

“Me, too!” Link said. “You don’t look like a country fan.”

“Yeah, well, you look like you listen to shitty radio pop.” Link looked down at his skinny jeans and purple cardigan, then looked back up at Rhett with a scowl. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay, I guess.” Link gathered his purchases and turned to go.

“Wait!” Rhett said. Link turned back to face him. “Can I make it up to you?”

“Are you offering to give me a handjob now? Because it’s kinda too late for that.”

Rhett spluttered with laughter. “No, I meant like coffee or something.” He pulled some tape from the register and wrote down his name and number. “No pressure,” he said as he handed it over.

Link took it with an odd expression on his face. This wasn’t how he’d expected this conversation to go at all. What was even less expected was that he was actually considering taking Rhett up on his offer.

“I hope another copy of Ramblin’ Fever comes in for you,” he said as he tucked the number into his pocket.

Rhett smiled, a real, genuine smile that made his eyes crinkle up and the apples of his cheeks round. It took him from good-looking to gorgeous in a way Link didn’t expect. “Thanks, man.”

“So, um, bye.” Link fled Miller Records before he could become even more confused.


	3. Chapter 3

Text to: Marissa

(Rhett): you’ll never believe who was just in here

(Marissa): the pope

(Marissa): billie eilish

(Marissa): my uncle roy

(Rhett): i thought roy died

(Marissa): he did

(Rhett): anyway

(Rhett): the guy i hooked up with at the salt water taffy house

(Marissa): oh shit!

(Marissa): did he punch you

(Marissa): i would have

(Marissa): leaving him with blue balls like that

(Rhett): no i apologized

(Rhett): he seems kinda cool

(Rhett): i gave him my number

(Marissa): good luck you fucking weirdo

(Rhett): he probably won’t text me

(Rhett): he didn’t look that thrilled

(Marissa): gee i wonder why

(Marissa): you could use tinder like a normal person

(Marissa): but noooo

(Rhett): yeah and how’s that working out for you?

(Marissa): my love life is varied and thats how i like it

(Marissa): monogamy is overrated

(Rhett): agree to disagree

(Marissa): have fun with your prep boyfriend you fuckin traitor

(Rhett): thanks i will

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Link needed to talk to someone about this. Corey was the obvious choice. He lived in the apartment next to Link, and they met when Corey saw Link lounging on his patio and declared that they should be friends because they were wearing the same NASA shirt (worm logo, of course, not meatball). It worked, to Link’s surprise. Corey could make friends with anyone. When Link met Corey’s sister, she described him as “a human golden retriever” and that seemed about right to Link.

He left through his back slider and hopped the low fence that separated his patio from Corey’s. Link peered through the sliding back door into Corey’s kitchen. He was in there cooking, exactly as Link suspected. He could smell something delicious.

Link tapped on the glass and Corey turned around. “Hey, man,” he said as he unlocked the slider and let Link in. “What’s up?”

First things first. Link went over to the stove and looked in the pot. “Wild rice and turkey?” he guessed. It was one of his favorites.

“You got it, bro! I was gonna bring you some, but you beat me to it.” Corey loved to cook, and loved sharing it with Link, which worked out well, because Link was a terrible cook. In return, Link helped out by cleaning the kitchen, and sometimes other parts of Corey’s apartment. It was a symbiotic relationship, like ants and acacia trees. Corey was the tree, providing food, and Link was the ant, tending to the tree. Or something. Link was no biologist.

Link helped himself to a Sprite from the fridge and sat at the kitchen table. “I need some advice.”

Corey sat across from him. “Shoot.”

“So you invited me to that party last month.”

“At the Salt Water Taffy House.”

“Yeah.” Link frowned. “Why is it called that, anyway?”

Corey shrugged. “Beats me.”

“Anyway.” Link took a sip of his soda. “I met this guy there.”

“Oh?” Corey said in interest. “You didn’t tell me that. Who was it?”

“A punk guy. His name is Rhett.”

A timer went off. Corey pulled his phone out of his pocket and silenced it. He went to the oven and pulled out a tray of rolls. “Since when are you into punk guys?”

“I’m not. But I, uh, hooked up with him anyway.” Link shifted his weight a little.

“Link! I didn’t know you had it in you to relax enough for that.”

“Oh, fuck you.” Link played with the tab on his soda can. “Anyway, I got him off, he left instead of getting me off, it sucked.” He could tell he was blushing furiously, because he didn’t really want to admit that, but there was no getting around it if he wanted actual advice.

“I sense a ‘but’ coming.”

“You sense correctly,” Link said. “Anyway, I felt really stupid and I was pretty upset for a while, but I got over it. And Saturday, I went to that record store and he was working there.”

Corey’s mouth dropped open into a shocked O. “Oh shit! What did you do?”

“Uh, I pretty much told him he was an asshole, he apologized, we figured out that we both like Merle Haggard, and he gave me his number and asked me out to coffee.” Link became aware of how absurd it was as he said it.

Corey plucked the rolls from the baking try and put them onto a plate. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I ever heard.”

“I know.”

“So are you gonna do it?”

“I don’t knoooww,” Link wailed. “Tell me what to do.”

“Sorry, bud. Can’t make a choice for you.” Corey returned to the stove and stirred the soup. He tasted a little. “Do you like this guy?”

“Uh...I don’t really know yet.”

“Okay, well, do you want to find out if you like this guy?”

“Huh.” When put like that, the choice seemed so much simpler. “I guess so.”

“Well! There you go.” Corey ladeled soup into two bowls. “Here, try this.”

Link did. “It’s delicious. Thank you.” The thanks was both for the soup and the advice, and Corey knew.

“Anytime, bro.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Text to: Rhett

(Link): i accept

(Rhett): who is this?

(Link): link

(Rhett): oh

(Rhett): hi

(Rhett): are you serious?

(Link): why would i text you if i wasn’t

(Rhett): idk

(Rhett): to yell at me maybe

(Rhett): i’d understand if you did

(Link): you WERE pretty awful to me at that party

(Link): but you apologized 

(Link): so i guess i want to find out what kind of person you actually are

(Rhett): same honestly

Link stared at his phone and sighed. This was going to be the most awkward date ever.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After exchanging stiff greetings and ordering their drinks, Rhett led Link to a pair of mismatched armchairs in the corner of the coffeeshop.

Link hadn’t know there were such things as punk coffeeshops. There were fliers for shows and parties all over a big bulletin board, stickers for local bands and shops and coffee roasters stuck to the counter, and art by local artists hanging on the walls. The whole thing was about as large as his bedroom. It was much more interesting than a Starbucks, and much more affordable.

“So…” Rhett began.

“Yeah?” Link sipped his coffee. It was very good, and served in a hideous mug emblazoned with a sunset beach and the name SHERYL in cursive letters along the sand.

“I want to apologize, for real this time.” Rhett looked down at his cup. It was a 70s burnt orange color. “That night...I don’t know. I was pretty drunk. Marissa does that sort of thing all the time, going to parties and hooking up with guys. Usually she goes with some other friends, but this time she convinced me.”

Link didn’t say anything.

“She wanted me to find someone to hook up with, too. That’s not usually my thing, but…” he sighed. “She said uptight guys were fun once you got them to relax, and she pointed you out. I wouldn’t have done anything, except you were there on the bench when I went out to smoke.”

“So?”

“I thought maybe we could have some fun together?” Apparently Rhett could tell how stupid that sounded, because he grimaced as he said it.

Link took a swallow of his coffee and took his time before answering. He wanted to see Rhett squirm.

“Look, I’m not gonna lie,” he said finally. “I did have fun. You’re pretty hot. You seemed like you were into me. No one’s ever pursued me like that before. I like giving head, and you have a nice dick. But you left me hanging, man.”

“I _was_ into you.” Rhett thought for a second. “Still might be, actually.”

Link tucked that information away for later. “So why’d you leave me like that, then?”

“I panicked, I guess. I’m so sorry.” Rhett dropped his head into his hands. His white hair stuck out in all directions. “I’m not a hook-up kind of guy. Marissa really wanted me to, though. And I thought, well, what’s the harm? It’s just sex. But I talked to you beforehand, and you seemed alright, and then you gave me that fucking amazing blowjob. And I thought, ‘this isn’t just sex, I can’t do this’, so I ran.”

“Are you saying you have feelings for me?” Link was incredulous.

“I don’t know!” Rhett threw up his hands. “I think maybe I could?”

“You’re ridiculous, you know that, right?” Link said. “You were all cool and confident at the party, and now you’re over there freaking out for no reason.”

“Yeah, well, uh, I was wondering if maybe you’d like to try again some time.”


	4. Chapter 4

“...and when he finally stopped laughing, he said no and left.”

“Can’t imagine why,” Marissa said from her usual place, with her feet propped up on the coffee table. “You should have gotten drunk again. Liquid courage, man.”

“Ugh. I can’t go through life drunk, Marissa.” Rhett threw himself onto the dilapidated couch in their living room, which groaned under the assault. “Even if it sounds like a really good idea right now.”

“So are you going to ask him out on a real date?”

“Isn’t that what I did?”

“Uh, no?” Marissa said. “The way you told me made it sound like you were asking him if he wanted to hook up again.”

“Oh my god.” The color drained from Rhett’s face as he sat up. “Oh my god, no.”

Marissa cackled. “You’re such a fucking idiot, Rhett.”

“Fuck!” Rhett pulled his phone out. “Maybe I can fix this.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Text from: Rhett

(Rhett): i know you said no

(Rhett): but i think i made it sound like i was trying to hook up with you again

(Rhett): which to be clear i wouldn’t mind

(Rhett): but i actually meant a date

Link stared at the texts. He actually did think Rhett had been offering to hook up again, and he wasn’t about to fall for that twice. A date might be different.

(Link): are you always like this?

(Rhett): how so?

(Link): ridiculous

(Rhett): no

(Rhett): sometimes i’m drunk

That got a genuine snicker out of Link.

(Link): if, and this is a big if

(Link): i were to agree

(Link): what would we do?

(Rhett): uh what do you like?

(Link): no, this was your idea

(Link): you have to pick

There was a very long pause.

*~*~*~*~

“He wants me to pick!” Rhett glanced up in dismay. “What do I do?”

“You fucking pick an activity, dumbass.” Marissa pulled her sewing kit out from under the couch. Rhett had been pestering her to repair a particularly big rip in his pants for a while and she was finally getting around to it.

“But I don’t know anything about him!”

“Yes you do. He likes country music, owns a pink shirt, and has terrible judgement.” She threaded a needle.

Rhett furrowed his brow. “Terrible judgement?”

“He hasn’t told you to fuck off yet, has he?”

“ _You_ should fuck off,” Rhett mumbled. He returned to staring at his phone.

“You should do something free, because I know you’re broke and you owe me two hundred dollars. Like the art museum, maybe.”

(Rhett): what about the art museum?

(Link): i don’t really know anything about art

(Rhett): me neither

(Link): yeah ok

(Link): saturday?

(Rhett): works for me

(Rhett): can you pick me up

(Rhett): i don’t have a car

(Link): sure

Rhett stared up in shock. “I have a date.”

“Will wonders never cease.” Marissa snipped the thread and pointed the scissors at him. “I don’t know how the fuck you managed that, but good going.”

“Asshole.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“This shit is brutal, man.” Rhett peered closely at an etching of gas-masked soldiers in a trench. The exhibit was titled ‘Der Krieg: Otto Dix’s _War_ ’.

“Can you imagine imagine being drafted during WWI?” Link asked. “Just sent off to die in the trenches, with no choice.” He shuddered.

“God, no,” Rhett said. He pointed to an image of a skull with writhing worms pouring from the eyes, mouth, and nose. “This would be an awesome album cover, though.”

Link looked at him in distaste. “Kind of disrespectful, though, don’t you think?”

Rhett shrugged. “Not really. We have some anti-war songs, so anti-war art wouldn’t be out of place.”

“‘We’?” Link asked.

“Yeah, Apocalypstik. It’s me and Marissa and these girls Des and Sammi.”

“Do you sing?” Link asked as they walked away from Der Krieg towards a gallery of monochromatic art. His sneakers squeaked on the terrazzo floor. Rhett’s boots surprisingly didn’t make any sound.

“I can, but Des doesn’t like me to. She doesn’t really like that I’m in the band at all because she wanted an all-female band, but she gave me a pass because I’m gay, I can write songs, and I can play guitar. Also Marissa made it clear we’re a package deal.” He made a face. “It’s stupid.”

“How did you know I was into guys? Or was it just a lucky guess?”

“I had a hunch, and you didn’t freak out when I started hitting on you.” A sly grin crept across Rhett’s face. “And you were wearing a pink shirt.”

Link rolled his eyes behind his glasses. “That’s such a tired old stereotype. And it isn’t pink.”

Rhett stuck his hands in the pockets of his patched pants. His look was fairly toned-down otherwise, just a plain black hoodie. “Right. What did you call it?”

“Nantucket red. It’s a New England thing. Um, a preppy, upper class thing.” Link’s cheeks burned red as he admitted this.

“Not sure if you’ve noticed, but this ain’t New England.”

“I know.”

“And you don’t sound like you’re from New England.”

“My family’s all from New England, but I was born in North Carolina and grew up there,” Link said. “I moved here a couple years ago for a job.”

“Upper class...are you, like, from money?”

Link snorted. “No. My dad’s family used to be rich, but it’s all gone now. All that’s left is a lingering sense of superiority. I didn’t see them a lot, though. My parents divorced when I was a baby.”

They reached the monochromatic gallery. Rhett stopped in front of a Rothko. “Whoa.”

“I’ve seen pictures of these, and I never really understood it,” Link said. “Just blocks of color? Who cares. But it’s different in person.”

Rhett stepped a little closer. The docent, a tiny old woman with her hair pulled back in a severe bun, cleared her throat. He glanced over and stepped back, chastened. Link giggled under his breath, but quickly schooled his face to neutral as Rhett turned to glare at him.

They wandered around looking at the monochrome painting and sculptures. “I really like these,” Rhett said. “Not sure why.”

Link laughed. “I do. Every time I’ve seen you, you’ve been wearing nothing but black. You’re a monochrome kinda guy.”

Rhett blinked. “Huh, guess you’re right.” They turned a corner and found themselves facing an enormous, elaborate wall sculpture made completely of black glass.

“This is beautiful,” Link said. He read the title card. “ _Iago’s Mirror_. Oh, it’s a mirror!”

Rhett leaned over to look closer. Most of the sculpture was actually layers of elaborate botanical framing, and the actual reflective surface of smooth black glass was very small. “I feel like there’s a lot here that I can’t see. Symbolism or some shit.”

“I think that’s the point.” Link paused. “You know, I thought this was going to be lame but I’m actually having a good time.” He gave Rhett a small but sincere smile.

Rhett stood up and grinned back. “Same. Let’s go check out the sculpture garden.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“How was your date?” Marissa asked as Rhett came in through the door.

“It was good!” Rhett shoved her over so he could sit on the couch. “I like him a lot.”

“Uh huh.” Marissa put her stocking feet up on the coffee table. Her socks were black and red argyle. “You fucking traitor. What do you like about him?”

“He’s smart. Funny. Sweet. Uh, and he’s really hot and he gave me a really, really good blowjob.”

“You gonna go out again?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Rhett frowned. “I don’t really know how to date. I just, like, go to shows and parties and shit like that? I don’t think Link would be into it.”

Marissa shrugged. “You won’t know until you try, I guess. If you take him to a show, though, you’ll have to lend him some clothes.”

“Oh god.” Rhett imagined Link in his pink shirt or purple sweater at a real show, not just a party at the Salt Water Taffy House. He laughed at how absurd the image was. Then he thought about Link in a leather jacket and ripped jeans, and felt a twitch in his pants. “Maybe I will.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Link!” Corey yelled as Link wandered into his kitchen. “How was your date?”

“Pretty good.” Link sat on the table where Corey was kneading a lump of dough. “He seems cool. I had a nice time.”

“Can it be? Link Neal went on a date that didn’t end in disaster?”

Link scowled. “They don’t all end in disaster. Sometimes they just...end.” He pantomimed a _poof_ with his hands.

“Well, we both you know can be a little, um, uptight?” Corey waved a hand idly. “So try not to fuck it up by being too neurotic.”

“Oh, fuck you.” Link sighed. “You’re not wrong, though.”

“I just have your best interests at heart, Link. You know that.” He reached over and slapped Link on the shoulder, leaving floury fingerprints. “Go get ‘em, tiger.”

“Thanks, dude.” Link slid out of his chair. “I gotta go do laundry, but send me a text when that bread is ready, okay?”

“You got it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iago's Mirror (which I believe is currently on display at the Des Moines Art Center) https://collections.mfa.org/objects/552622


	5. Chapter 5

Corey told Link to not be so neurotic, but it was his default state. Link could no more deny his anxiety than Corey could deny his urge to try any and all hot sauces he came across.

His second date with Rhett was dinner and a movie, some remake that wasn’t as good as the original. They never were, but the upside of them both knowing the story and not really caring that much did give them the opportunity to make out in the back of the nearly empty theater.

The make out continued in Link’s car in the parking garage. Rhett was into it, threading his hands through Link’s dark hair and pulling his head back to kiss his neck, but Link couldn’t relax. Most of that was due to the fact that they were more or less in public, but anxiety made up a significant part of his discomfort.

He pulled back from a kiss. “Rhett,” he said. “What is this?”

Rhett looked at him with the unfocused gaze of the severely horny. “What?”

“This.” Link gave him a quick kiss. “Is all this just physical, or…?”

“You wanna have this conversation _now_? Fine.” Rhett shifted in his seat, trying to get his erection in a more comfortable configuration. “Yeah, I wanna fuck you, because you’re fuckin’ hot and I owe you one. But you made it pretty clear you didn’t just want to hook up again, and _I_ don’t want to just hook up again, either. Would I have asked you out to get to know you if I did?”

“Guess not,” Link mumbled. He looked down into his lap, where he had an erection of his own clearly visible through his jeans.

“So no, it’s not just physical.” Rhett put his mouth up to Link’s ear. “I want it both ways,” he whispered. Link sucked in a breath.

They resumed kissing, but Link’s mind was still whirring away. He broke the kiss. “I got a question.”

Rhett squeezed his eyes shut in mild exasperation. “Another one?”

“Yeah. How come you think you’re gonna fuck me, hmm?” Link raised a questioning eyebrow. “Maybe I wanna fuck you.”

“Do you?”

“Maybe.”

Rhett snorted. “At the party, you said you weren’t gonna let me fuck you. I never said anything other than that I was supposed to corrupt you.”

“Oh. Yeah, I like getting fucked,” Link admitted. He bit his lip nervously. “But, I, um kind of want to wait?”

Rhett sighed. “You want to make sure this isn’t just physical, don’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s not.”

“I know.”

They stared at each other, gray-green eyes meeting bright blue ones.

“Can I at least jerk you off?” Rhett asked finally. “I really feel like I owe you that much.”

Link laughed softly. “Yeah, that’d be okay. Not here, though.” He turned on the car. “Your place or mine?”

“Mine.” If Link’s boundary were centered around physical contact, Rhett’s was centered around unfamiliar places.

Link took the car out of park. “Then let’s go.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Lemme smoke before we go in.” Rhett lit a cigarette and leaned back against the car. Link watched him blow a plume of smoke into the evening air.

“You ever think about quitting?” he asked.

“I think about it every time I buy a pack. Shit’s expensive.” Rhett flicked away some ash. “Easier said than done, though.”

Link leaned against the car next to him. “So why’d you move out here from LA?”

“My parents didn’t take it too well when I came out to them after I graduated high school. I couchsurfed for a while. LA is so fucking expensive, though, even the shitty parts, so Marissa and I left as soon as we could. It was… let’s just say it wasn’t a good place for either one of us.” Rhett took a final drag and dropped the butt into the gutter. Link frowned at it.

“Was she your girlfriend?”

Rhett threw back his head and laughed. Link felt a little pang of affection at seeing him so happy. “Ha! No, we tried once when we were like fifteen and that was all it took to confirm that I’m really, really not into girls. She’s just my best friend.”

The house was a ramshackle two story affair with a sagging porch. There was a bike chained to the railing and a wobbly iron table with matching chairs on it. As they mounted the steps, shrieks of female laughter came from inside. Rhett flinched. “Oh god.”

Link glanced over in apprehension. “What?”

“Des is over watching chick flicks with Sammi and Marissa. Sammi’s cool, you’ll like her, but Des isn’t going to like you.”

“She’s the one that doesn’t want you in the band, right?” Rhett nodded. “Why isn’t she going to like me?”

“You’re…” Rhett gestured up and down at Link. “Mainstream. Normcore.”

Link glanced down at himself. Jeans, Converse, t-shirt, hoodie. Normal clothes. He guessed that was what _normcore_ meant. “Is that a bad thing?”

“Depends on who you ask. I don’t mind it much, personally.” Rhett pulled out a key on a bottle opener keychain. “Brace yourself, they sound pretty drunk.”

“O… kay.” The door opened to a rundown living room. Three girls were sitting on a busted couch with a couple bottles of wine and a pipe on the table in front of them and a movie playing on the TV. They all turned to look as the men entered the room.

“Oh my _god,_ Rhett, is this your boyfriend?” squealed one of the girls. She had faded green hair and wore a flannel shirt over a velvet dress. She sat between a Joan Jett lookalike with a wineglass in hand and a girl with dark skin, a shaved head, and an elaborate septum piercing.

“Uh…” They hadn’t discussed labels.

“Yeah,” Link said. He waved a little. “Hi.”

Rhett rallied. “Yeah, so this is Link. Link, Marissa, Sammi, and Des.” He pointed to each of the girls in turn. Marissa, the Joan Jett lookalike, and Sammi, the green haired girl, smiled at him, but Des just gave him a stony stare.

“You can get back to whatever bullshit chick flick you’re watching,” Rhett said. Link followed him up the stairs.

“Fuck you, Rhett!” Sammi yelled as their retreating backs. “ _Pride and Prejudice_ isn’t bullshit.”

“Oooh, Mr. Darcy!” Marrisa said. All three girls burst into giggles.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“That wasn’t too bad,” Link said as he entered Rhett’s room. It was simply and cheaply furnished, with a box spring and mattress on the floor, a dresser with lopsided drawers, and a little bedside table made of what looked like a cutting board on top of a milk crate. A sheet was tacked over the window to serve as a curtain, and the walls were decorated with a few band posters and some weird paintings. An acoustic guitar stood on a stand in the corner next to a rickety bookcase crammed with books, and there was a record player and several crates of records.

“Sorry. It’s not much.” Rhett sat on the bed and patted the spot next time him.

Link shrugged and sat. “It’s clean. That’s all I care about.” He lay back on the bed and squinted up at the ceiling. “Are those glow in the dark stars?”

“Yeah.” Rhett joined him in staring at the stars. “They came with the house.”

“Who all lives here? There’s three bedrooms, right?”

“Marissa and I are the only ones on the lease, but there’s usually a couple other people crashing here. Right now Sammi’s been here for a couple months, and there’s this guy Drew who sleeps on the sofa sometimes. Some friend of Marissa’s. I don’t know how she knows him.”

Link rolled over and looked at him. “You let people you don’t know stay at your house?”

“Well, yeah.” Rhett turned towards Link. “That’s how I got by after my parents threw me out. It’s like giving back, I guess.”

“That’s wild. I never lived with anybody after I moved out of my mom’s place. One of my highschool friends was supposed to be roommate my first year in college, but he fell off a roof the week before school started and broke both femurs so he had to take a year off.”

Rhett winced. “Jesus. Why was he on the roof?”

“Gettin’ a frisbee out of the gutter. He leaned over to grab it and overbalanced.” Link moved his hands around each other to give the impression of someone falling ass over teakettle off a roof. “Wham!”

“Wow.” Rhett rolled back over to look at the ceiling. “That’s how I got into punk.”

Link didn’t roll over. Instead, he studied Rhett’s profile. Strong brows, straight nose, blondish beard that could, in Link’s opinion, do with a bit of tidying up. “What, by falling off a roof?”

Rhett burst out laughing. Link loved the sound. “No, you idiot. Couchsurfing. I ended up staying with some punk kids, friends of friends of friends. I was in a really shitty place and they were so accepting and welcoming. And there was a lot of the… ideology, I guess you could say, that really spoke to me. Like, things that I felt, but couldn’t articulate? Things I’d been looking for.”

“Mm.” Link took Rhett’s left hand and studied it. The letters ICAL were tattooed across his knuckles. “Why ‘mythical’?” he asked.

Rhett held up his right hand and waggled his fingers. They spelled out MYTH. “Didn’t feel like anything was real for a while. Now it’s just a word.”

Link kissed Rhett’s palm. “You got any more?”

“Mmhmm. Twelve or thirteen.” Rhett rolled onto his side and grabbed Link’s waist, pulling him close. Link squeaked. “Wanna see?”

“Yeah.” Link grabbed the back of Rhett’s neck and pulled him into a kiss. “I do.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to @sohox for writing most of this chapter (the important parts, anyway)

It wasn’t the first time they’d made out since meeting at the party, but it was the first time they were really able to relax into it. Kissing in Link’s car or in the back of a semi-crowded movie theater was fun, but didn’t really lend itself to going further.

Link might look innocent, but his wandering hands certainly weren’t. He grabbed Rhett’s ass, slid them under his shirt, and ended up trying to unbuckle Rhett’s studded belt without looking.

He pulled back from the kiss. “What the fuck. Why is this so hard? Is this a chastity belt?”

“Here.” Rhett got up on his knees and undid the buckle. “See? Not as hard as you were making it.”

“Oh, I’ll make it hard, alright.” Link unzipped Rhett’s patched jeans and stuck a hand in. “Huh, look at that. Already did.”

Rhett’s laugh turned into a gasp as Link grabbed his dick and gave it a few slow strokes. “Link, stop, wait.”

Link pulled his hand back and froze. “What?”

Rhett pushed Link’s dark hair out of his face. “I don’t want this to be like last time.”

This earned him an enormous eye roll. “Then don’t run away this time, dumbass.” Link returned to his leisurely hand job. “You should get naked this time, too. Or at least take these goddamn tight pants off.”

Rhett didn’t need to be told twice, but first he had to get his boots off. Link leaned back and rubbed himself through his pants as he watched the process in amusement. “This is like the most awkward striptease ever.” Rhett paused in unlacing his black boots and flipped him off.

“Oh, like you could do better.”

“Okay.” Link toed off his sneakers and they fell to the floor with a thunk before standing up. He stretched luxuriously and Rhett noted how slender he was, and how enticing the trail of hair beneath his belly button was.

Link peeled his hoodie and shirt off in one motion while swaying his hips. It was silly and sexy at the same time, and Rhett watched eagerly as more of Link was revealed. He spun around, giving Rhett a view of his toned back and shoulders. Link’s proportions, his narrow waist and broad shoulders, were perfect.

“Wow,” Rhett breathed. He noticed that he’d paused in removing his boots. He pulled them off, followed by his pants, and sat on the floor in front of Link in his boxer briefs and t-shirt. “I wanna see the rest.”

“Sure thing, big guy.” Link unzipped his pants and hooked his thumbs into the waistband. Slowly he pulled them down, giving Rhett a glimpse of his erection covered by his yellow underwear, before turning around and pushing them down the rest of the way as he bent over.

Link’s ass looked great in yellow, a color of which Rhett had never fond. “How are you the same person who was just freaking out in the car forty five minutes ago?” he demanded as he pulled off his own shirt.

Link turned around and shrugged. “I’ll freak out about it later,” he said, “just like I did after we hooked up in the park.” He pulled off his glasses and put them on Rhett’s bedside ‘table’.

“I’m still sorry about that.” Rhett got up and pushed Link down onto the bed. “Let me make it up to you,” he said as he straddled Link and pinned his hands to the mattress.

Link was just as vocal as he had been that night in the park. He gasped and moaned as Rhett kissed and licked his way from Link’s jaw to his neck to his shoulder. The jerk and whimper that Link made as Rhett gently bit his collarbone was something that he would treasure for a long time.

Rhett pushed both of Link’s wrists up above his head, trapping them both in the grip of one large hand, his other hand trailing from Link’s cheek, down his chest, skimming his fingers along his ribs. When he reached Link’s waist, he yanked the yellow underwear down, letting Link’s erection spring free.

He caught Link’s hip in his grasp, squeezing hard before reaching down to find his cock. Rhett wrapped his hand around it, thumb tracing his head and smoothing the wet bead of precum gathered at the tip before trailing a firm touch all the way down the underside to his base. 

Link panted and mumbled filthy hot curses into the curve of Rhett’s jaw. Rhett’s cock throbbed at the sound and he couldn’t wait to hear more. He pulled back slightly, bringing his hand up to suck on his thumb, groaning as he sucked the taste of Link off his finger. 

Link watched him with hooded eyes, pupils already blown, mouth falling open at the sight. Rhett thought about how pretty he was and and spat hard into his hand before reaching back down to grab Link, stroking overhand, building up a slow, firm rhythm. Link pumped his hips into Rhett’s hand. He wanted to pull Rhett’s boxers down but when he struggled against Rhett’s grip on his wrists, they were only pushed harder into the mattress. 

“C’mon, Rhett! Let go!” he pleaded.

“Nah.”

“Fine.” Link pulled his legs up, using his feet to push Rhett’s boxers down over his thin hips. The movement pushed him even harder into Rhett’s grip and they both groaned out loud when Rhett’s cock sprang out from behind the cloth, already impossibly hard, dripping wet and ready. 

“Christ, you’re flexible,” Rhett panted. “I’m gonna bend you in half one day.”

“Let me touch you…” Link whined, pulling against Rhett’s strong grip again. 

“Mmm, nope. Not this time.” Rhett groaned when Link pushed his hips up, grinding his inner thigh against Rhett’s cock, smearing wet across the smooth skin.

Link yanked against Rhett’s grip again, and once again, it was in vain. “Then use your hand and fuck us both! I wanna feel you sliding against me.” 

“You’re awfully fucking bossy for someone pinned to the bed. Maybe I should punish you for that.” He smirked at Link’s dismayed squeak. “But that sounds really fucking hot so I’m gonna do it.” Rhett lined himself up, slotting his cock right up against Link’s.

He wrapped his long, strong fingers around both their shafts. They were big enough that his hand fully enveloped them both. They moaned in unison, low and dirty, finding a rhythm of rocking their hips into each other while Rhett stroked them, his thumb swiping both of their heads steadily. 

Link’s body was burning all over. He was flushed from his face all the way down to his chest, torso hot against Rhett, and his hair was damp with sweat. He wrapped his legs tightly around Rhett’s hips, using his position as leverage to thrust his hips up. He wanted to touch Rhett, wanted to see his cock again, but for right now, this was definitely working for him. 

Of course Rhett was the one to come first. He held on as long as he could, but just watching Link fall apart under him, feeling their bodies and their cocks sliding against each other had his body betraying him before he was ready. 

He didn’t let go, instead the extra wetness of his cum allowed him to stroke even faster, his body shuddering with every slide. Link was arching under him, groaning loud, eyes locked on Rhett’s as his orgasm slammed into him, come spilling between them, combining with Rhett’s to coat his hand. Rhett finally let his wrist go before collapsing next to him on the threadbare sheets. 

“Wow,” Rhett said when he caught his breath.

“Yeah,” Link agreed. He wiped his hand through the mess on his belly and squinted at it. “Geez. That’s a lot.”

Rhett reached over and dragged his fingers through the splatters. “Well, you’re worth it, baby.”

“‘Baby’. I like the sound of that. You got anything to clean this up, though?” Link held up his sloppy fingers.

“Mmhm.” Rhett leaned over the side of the mattress to snag his shirt. Link admired the way the muscles of his back moved and noticed the freckles on his shoulder.

“Rhett, I have a confession to make,” he said as he cleaned himself up. He passed the shirt to Rhett.

“Oh?” Rhett wiped his hands and tossed the shirt onto the floor.

“Yeah.” Link threw an arm over Rhett’s chest. There was an elaborate tattoo covering the top half that Link would have to inspect later. He pulled himself up to whisper in Rhett’s ear. “I’d be disappointed if this wasn’t at least _partly_ physical.”

“Oh, good.” Rhett rolled over on top of Link and humped him. Link shrieked with giggles. “‘Cause there’s a lot of physical stuff I want to do with you.”


	7. Chapter 7

Rhett collected his clothes from the floor. “I’m gonna go smoke. I’ll be right back.”

“Oh. Can I come?” Link asked.

Rhett picked up Link’s yellow underwear and threw it at him. “I mean, it’s not very exciting, but sure.”

He clattered down the stairs with Link behind him. Predictably, once they reached the bottom, the girls erupted into cheers and applause. Rhett ignored them and headed out the front door on to the porch. Link made the mistake of glancing over and earned himself a round of wolf whistles.

“You can’t seriously be as embarrassed as you look,” Rhett said as he lit his cigarette.

Link covered his burning cheeks with his hands. “I just blush really easily.”

“I’ve noticed.” Rhett ashed his cigarette into the giant avocado green ashtray on the brick windowsill. “So. Boyfriend?”

“Uh.” If Link hadn’t already been blushing, Rhett was pretty sure that would have made him turn bright red. “It just seemed to be easier to say yes, since you already told them I was.”

“I didn’t tell them shit except that we went out a couple times.” He blew smoke away from Link. 

“Oh.” There was a hint of confusion and disappointment in Link’s tone, and his expression was guarded. “So what does that actually make us?”

Rhett shrugged and took a drag. “Boyfriends, I guess.” He choked with laughter at the change in Link’s expression, and Link punched him in the arm. ”Ow!”

Link smirked. “Are you sure I’m cool enough to be your boyfriend?”

“No, but you’re also not _not_ cool enough, as far as I can tell.” Rhett stubbed out the cigarette out into the green ashtray. “If that makes sense.”

“Kinda makes it sound like I’m in some kind of probationary period,” Link said.

“I mean, is that what of dating kind of _is_?” Rhett asked, holding up his hands in askance. “Seeing if someone is a good long term thing?”

“Whoa.” Link narrowed his blue eyes at Rhett. “You know, I didn’t come over here for that kind of talk.”

“You’re the one who started the relationship chat tonight.” Rhett pulled the cigarette pack back out of his pocket, caught Link frowning at it, and stuck it back in. “You wanna stay the night?”

“Can’t. I have to work tomorrow.” Link put his arms around Rhett’s neck and stood on his tiptoes to kiss him. “I had a really nice time tonight.”

“Me too.” Rhett hugged him tightly. “Drive safe, baby.”

“I will.” Rhett stood on the porch and watched until Link drove off.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Text from: Corey

(Corey): hey can i come over

(Corey): wanna hear about that date

(Corey): i have chocolate chip banana bread

(Link): sure

He got up and unlocked the sliding glass door. Corey came through a couple minutes later, loaf pan in hand. He plonked it down on the counter.

“Well, bro? How’d it go? Did you freak out?”

“Of course.” Link got out a knife and cut a slice. It was still warm.

“Oh, come _on_ , Link!” Corey said in exasperation. “What did I tell you?”

Link broke of the corner of his slice and stuck it in his mouth. “No, it was okay,” he said after he swallowed. “Rhett was actually really chill about it. Didn’t make me feel stupid or anything.”

Corey sighed. “You need to have higher standards, Link. ‘Didn’t make me feel stupid’ is like… bare minimum.”

Link leaned against the counter and took another bite of banana bread. “He’s really nice, Corey.”

Corey crossed his arms. “That’s what you said about the last one, too.”

“Yeah, and I dumped him when I figured out that he wasn’t.” Link dropped his remaining half slice back onto the loaf pan and threw up his hands. His fingers were covered in smears of melted chocolate. “So what am I supposed to do here, Corey? Never get involved with anyone, ever, just in case they turn out to be an asshole?”

“No, but--”

“I have to figure out if he’s worth having in my life somehow! That’s what dating _is_!” Link was aware he was echoing Rhett’s words from last night.

“Bro! I’m just saying, try not to get too attached too fast, you know?”

Link scowled. “I haven’t slept with him yet, does that count?” He stuffed another bite of banana bread in his mouth and didn’t mention the naked handjobs. Those totally didn’t count.

Corey raised an eyebrow. “For you? Yes.” He paused. “Y’know, your life would be so much simpler if you were, like, emotionally capable of having one night stands without getting all up in your feelings.”

“Well, I can’t.” Link finished his slice. He licked the chocolate off his fingers.

“I’ve noticed.” They stood in silence for a moment. “Just be careful, okay?”

“I’ll do my best.”

~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~

For somebody who claimed not to know how to date, Rhett was doing alright.

He didn’t take Link to any shows, but they did get high and listen to Rhett’s punk records in his dark bedroom while they lay back and stared at the glow in the dark stars. A cedar scented candle burned on Rhett’s dresser.

“So, old country is like… the struggles of the rural working class, right?” Rhett began. “Same with folk.”

“Okay,” Link agreed.

“Okay, so punk is like, the updated, industrialized, urbanized version of that.”

Silence.

“And?” Link said. He had his glasses off. Between that and the THC, the glow in the dark stars were little more than a shining blur.

Rhett shrugged. “And nothing. That’s it.”

Silence.

“That can’t be it. There’s gotta be more,” Link protested.

“They’re both like… pure emotion? I guess.” Rhett waved his hands idly. “Protesting against the man, against capitalism, against society. Same feelings. Just different styles.”

“That’s why you like ‘em both?”

“Yeah.” Rhett sat up and took another hit of the pipe and passed it to Link, who did the same. “Do _you_ like it?”

Link exhaled and fell back on the bed. “Not really.”

“Well, I tried.” Rhett threw a leg over Link and leaned over to kiss him. “Do you like me, at least?”

“I like you a lot, Rhett.” Link grabbed the front of his hoodie and pulled him down. “You know that.”

“Mmm.” The music played on, forgotten in the background.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Rhett!” Des put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “A little focus, please.”

“Sorry.” Rhett stuck his phone back in his pocket and adjusted his gold guitar. “Where were we?”

Apocalypstik practiced in the dining room of Rhett and Marissa’s house. There was no dining table or chairs. Instead, the floor was covered in rugs of varying levels of rattiness. Sammi’s drum kit was set up in one corner, and amps, pedals, stands, and cords of all types littered the room. 

“You spend too much time with that boy,” Des continued. “Do you even want to be in this band?”

“Des…” Sammi warned. She and Marissa adored Link. They’d been a little dubious at first, but were won over when he convinced Rhett to watch _Stranger Than Fiction_ with them (“C’mon, Rhett! It’s not a chick flick. It’s weird and good. I promise.”).

Des spun around to the drum kit. “Don’t you start with me, Samantha! You think I haven’t noticed that you like him, too?”

“What the fuck is your problem?” Marissa snapped. “Rhett’s allowed to have a boyfriend, and we’re allowed to like him. You’d probably like him, too, if you bothered to give him a chance.”

“No way.” Des sneered. “I spent a long time trying to get away from guys like him, and I’m not doing that again.”

“What do you mean, ‘guys like him’?” Rhett asked in a low, dangerous voice. Des turned to him, surprised, as if she’d forgotten he was in the room.

“Uh,” she started, aware she was on dangerous ground. “I just meant--”

Marissa cut her off. “Des, you should probably go.” Sammi nodded in agreement, her messy green bun bobbing.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Des said in disbelief. Rhett stood back and let Marissa handle this one. Des was her friend, after all. Or maybe not. This wasn’t the first fight they’d had about Des’s attitude in general, and her treatment of Link in particular. Rhett knew how lucky he was that his best friend and boyfriend got along so well, and that she was willing to stand up for him.

“No, I’m not fucking kidding!” Marissa yelled. “You don’t get to disrespect Link like that, okay? This is our house, and we like him. Even if he dresses like he works in a Starbucks.”

Sammi caught Rhett’s gave and rolled her eyes. She didn’t think Link’s style was an issue. Rhett smiled a little at her, grateful.

Des and Marissa continued shouting at each other until Des threw down her microphone. There was a squeal of feedback. “Fine! I’m done, okay? I’m fucking done. I quit. You’re all fucking losers.” She stormed out and slammed the door behind her.

The three housemates stared at each other in shock. Finally, Sammi broke the silence. 

“Hell of a mic drop,” she said, and played a rimshot on her dums. They burst into laughter, the tension broken.


	8. Chapter 8

Text to: Link

(Rhett): so apocalypstik just broke up

(Link): oh no

(Link): i’m sorry

(Rhett): eh

(Rhett): it’s been a long time coming

(Rhett): still gonna make music with sammi and marissa

There was a long pause before Link replied.

(Link): was it about me?

(Rhett): no

(Rhett): absolutely not

(Rhett): des wanted it to be about you

(Rhett): but she’s been fighting with us about all kinds of shit forever

Another long pause. Rhett knew that Link was probably quietly freaking out.

(Rhett): i promise it wasnt your fault

(Link): i still feel bad

(Rhett): don’t

(Rhett): i get to sing my own songs now

(Link): yeah i guess that’s true

(Link): so are you okay?

(Rhett): still feeling kinda shocked

(Rhett): but yeah i’ll be okay

Now it was his turn to pause. He still hadn’t been over to Link’s apartment. Rhett had a hard time feeling comfortable in strange places, a leftover from his couchsurfing days. But he really, really didn’t want to be at his house right then.

(Rhett): can i come crash at your place?

(Link): yes!

(Link): right now?

(Rhett): yeah

(Link): see you in 15

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rhett was sitting on the front steps, smoking, when Link pulled up. He stood and crushed his cigarette into the green ashtray before getting into the car.

“You sure you’re okay?” Link asked softly as Rhett buckled his seat belt. He shrugged in response. “Well, you picked a good night to come over. Corey’s making chili and jalapeno cornbread.”

“With or without beans?” It was an important question. One of Rhett’s little doodle tattoos was a can of beans.

“With,” Link responded. Rhett nodded in satisfaction. They drove to Link’s place in silence

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rhett dumped his backpack on Link’s couch and wandered around the open plan living room/kitchen. It was as normcore as his wardrobe, comfortable but not particularly stylish. The main pop of personality were the framed Merle Haggard albums covering the walls. There had to be two dozen.

“Wow,” Rhett said as he inspected them. “I’m impressed.”

“Been collecting ‘em since high school,” Link said with a hint of pride. He reached out and touched his most recent acquisition, Ramblin’ Fever. Rhett still didn’t have his own copy.

“Um. There’s a guy on your patio,” Rhett said. Link turned around to see Corey outside the door, grinning and waving at them.

“Oh, it’s just Corey.” Link went and unlocked the slider. “Hey, man.”

“Sup, bro!” Corey turned to Rhett and stuck out his hand. “Corey Lewis.”

Rhett took it a little gingerly. “Rhett McLaughlin.”

“So!” Corey clapped his hands. “You ready to eat?” Link had briefed him on Rhett’s situation, and Corey was perfectly happy to play the gracious dinner host and then leave them alone. Link was very lucky to have him as a friend.

They clambered over the patio divider and settled in Corey’s warm, cozy kitchen. The chili was good and the cornbread was even better. Link was pleased to see that Rhett and Corey got along, with their shared love of eating the main driving force. They had a long conversation about the merits of chili with and without beans. Link just sat and listened, happy to hear Rhett enjoying himself. He could tell that Rhett was more upset about the breakup of his band than he let on.

When the finished, Corey took their dishes and refused any help cleaning up. Rhett and Link thanked him for dinner, and returned to Link’s apartment, where they decided to curl up on the couch to watch a movie.

“I get to pick,” Link said. “You always pick when we’re at you place.”

“So what’s your pick?”

Link plucked a DVD from a shelf. “ _O Brother, Where Art Thou?_ ”

“Never heard of it.”

Link stuck the disc in the player and settled back down with Rhett. He tucked himself around Rhett, still astonished at how well they fit together. “It’s the Odyssey, but set in the South during the Depression, with lots of bluegrass. George Clooney, Coen Brothers.”

“Sounds cool.” Rhett kissed Link on the cheek. “Thanks for letting me come over, baby.”

Link returned the kiss. “I’ve wanted to get you over here for months.” 

“I know.” Rhett let Link rest his head on his shoulder and answered the unasked question. “I have such a hard time relaxing in new places. Pretty sure it’s because I was more or less homeless for so long. I stayed at fourteen different places in three years, can you believe that? Never had my own room. So when Marissa and I left, and we got our own place here, it was such a relief. It’s a shitty house, but it’s _mine_ , you know?”

“Yeah. You feel pretty relaxed right now, though.”

Rhett laughed and squeezed Link in a hug. “It’s ‘cause you’re here. I think I’d be happy anywhere with you.”

Link smiled. “Same.” He picked up the remote. “You ready for this movie?”

“Yeah.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“The photographer had to reframe everything to fit all my hair in the shot, and I had to hold the cap in my hands because it wouldn’t go over the mohawk. God, my parents were so mad!” Sammi giggled. “But my mom has it framed up over the mantle now, next to my brothers. What about you, Link?”

Link scoffed. They were talking about high school. “I had really short hair and didn’t wear glasses yet. Pretty boring.”

“So, about the same as now?” Marissa asked. She dodged the throw pillow Link whipped at her.

“I know you didn’t get into all this hardcore stuff until later, but what were you and Rhett like?” he asked.

Rhett answered. “About what you’d expect, honestly. We got in trouble for doing shit like cutting class and smoking on school grounds. Nothing real bad.”

“And the uniform infractions! My god,” Marissa laughed. “I’d make my skirt too short and Rhett never, ever did his tie right. Every way we could follow the letter of the law but not the spirit, we did.”

“Y’all had uniforms?” Link was surprised, somehow.

“Well, yeah, it was a fancy expensive private school…” She trailed off at Link’s expression and glanced over at Rhett.

“Does it matter?” Rhett mumbled. 

“It might,” Link said pointedly. He remembered Rhett asking him if he came from money. There was an uncomfortable silence. Sammi and Marissa glanced at each other.

“C’mon, then.” Rhett got up and headed to the door to smoke. Link followed. 

“Well?” Rhett asked as he lit up. “ _Does_ it matter?”

Link crossed his arms. “It must, since you’ve gone out of to _not_ mention it on several occasions.” Such as when Link told him about growing up lower middle class with a single mom.

Rhett sighed out cigarette smoke. “Fine. I grew up rich as fuck. Went to expensive private schools, got a new car when I turned sixteen, played lacrosse, got accepted to two different Ivies as a legacy student. All that stereotypical rich kid bullshit. Marissa, too.”

Link uncrossed his arms and leaned against the exterior bricks. “You sound ashamed of it.”

“I am.” He ashed into the green ashtray.

“It’s not your fault your parents had money. It’s not a moral failing or anything.” Link did kind of think that being rich was kind of a moral failing, after a point, but sending your kid to private school and buying him a car wasn’t quite enough to send someone to the guillotine.

Rhett took an angry inhale of his cigarette. “There’s different ways to be rich. My parents kept me in a bubble. Like, I knew that homelessness and hunger and not being able to get healthcare were things that existed, but I never saw it in person, I never knew anyone that suffered like that, so it wasn’t really real to me.”

“Like the Buddha,” Link murmured to himself.

Rhett spluttered into a laugh. “Yeah, Link. Just like the fucking Buddha. Anyway,” he continued, “when I told them I was gay, they made all these rules that were impossible to follow and then told me I had to leave when I failed. I crashed with a friend who went to school on a scholarship, and met _his_ friends, and got shitty jobs to get by, and my eyes were opened to the suffering of the human race. Or whatever.” He stubbed out the cigarette.

“What happened to college?”

Rhett shrugged. “Couldn’t afford it. Parents wouldn’t give me the information I needed to get financial aid.”

“That sucks,” Link said. “What about Marissa, though?”

“We’re like this, Link.” Rhett held up two fingers, close together. “When she found out what my parents did, and that her parents supported them? Shit went _down_.”

“Mmm.” Link wrapped his arms around himself. The evening air was chilly and his hoodie was still inside. “I wish I had someone like that.”

“What about Corey?”

“He’s a good friend, and a good neighbor, but he’s not like, ride-or-die or anything.”

“You have me.”

Link put an arm around Rhett’s middle and looked up at him. “You’re ride-or-die after four months?”

“Maybe.”


	9. Chapter 9

“What do you see?” Marissa hissed.

Sammi peered through a gap in the blinds. “Nothing! I can only see Rhett. The angle’s all wrong. I think they’re just talking? Wait…”

“What?”

“Link just came and hugged him. Now they’re...oh.” She dropped the blinds. 

“What?!”

Sammi turned to Marissa and made a face. “They’re making out.”

Marissa made a face back. “I mean, I’m glad they figured it out, but…bleh.”

“I know!” The girls giggled together.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Text from: Corey

(Corey): pork chops if you want

(Corey): with applesauce

(Link): i want

Not five minutes later, he was tapping on Corey’s sliding door. “It’s open!” Corey yelled from his place at the stove.

“It smells amazing in here.” Link looked into the pot that Corey had on the stove. It was full of simmering spiced applesauce. “Applesauce from scratch, you absolute madman.”

“Better than anything you’ll ever get at the store!” Corey boasted. “Be ready in about twenty minutes.”

“Cool.” Link wandered into the living room. He figured he’d do a little cleaning in return for the food. He leaned over and picked something shiny up off the carpet. “What on earth is all over your floor?”

“Well, Kristen--you remember Kristen, right?”

Link rolled his eyes. “How could I forget?” Kristen was Corey’s ex. Their on again, off again relationship ended in a long, protracted breakup that was finalized in a screaming, blowout fight shortly before the party at the Salt Water Taffy House. For a couple months afterwards, she harassed and mildly stalked Corey, but the past three months had been quiet.

“She mailed me a glitter bomb full of confetti shaped like dicks.”

Link guffawed. “Oh my god. That’s so fucking immature. But hilarious.”

“I know! Once I figured out what it was, I couldn’t stop laughing. I guess she’s trying to call me a dick?” Corey held up his hands in bewilderment.

Link scooped up a handful of multicolored, sparkly dicks and threw them into the air. They fluttered to the ground, glimmering. “I’ll vacuum them up for you,” he said. 

“Thanks, bro.” Corey turned back to the stove. “I liked your boyfriend.”

“Yeah?” Link hauled the vacuum out of the utility closet.

“Yeah! He ate three bowls of chili.”

Link snorted as he plugged in the vacuum. Corey _would_ base his opinion on how someone liked his cooking. “Kristen could eat three bowls of chili.”

“Man, that girl could _eat_!” Corey smiled fondly. Kristen’s foodieness had been a perfect match for Corey’s love of cooking. Unfortunately, that was the only perfect thing in their relationship. “But for real, he seems like a cool dude. Smart. Funny. Good opinions on chili. And he’s completely in love with you.”

“Love!” Link stared at Corey, vacuuming forgotten.

Corey shrugged and turned down the burner. “Well, maybe not love, but he’s totally into you. I could tell by the googly eyes he got when he looked at you.” He imitated Rhett’s besotted look. 

“Ugh.” Link turned on the vacuum and sucked up the dicks. Corey was lucky it was confetti and not glitter, he thought. There might be a few lingering dicks under the couch or between the cushions, but that was nothing compared to the aftermath of an actual glitter bomb. You can never really get rid of glitter.

He finished vacuuming and put up the vacuum just as Corey was pulling the pork chops out of the oven.

“You guys seem like an odd match, though,” Corey continued as he plated the meals.

“How so?” Link took a plate to the table. “The whole punk vs normcore thing?”

“Not just that.” Corey sat. “You’re an engineer, you have a good job, you’re probably going to get promoted soon, right?”

“Yep!” Link’s supervisor was moving out of state, and he was most likely going to take over her position.

“Yeah, so, you’re motivated, you’ve got upward mobility. And Rhett works part time in a record store, and I gathered that he’s perpetually broke.”

“So?” Link said defensively.

“So, you like each other, but how is that going to work out long term?” Corey asked. “Seems like you have different goals.”

“Jesus, Corey! I came over here for a porkchop, not relationship advice.” Link narrowed his eyes and pointed his fork at Corey. “This is because of Kristen, right?”

“What?”

“That dick bomb got you thinking about her,” Link said. “ _Y’all_ had different goals. You wanted to be head chef, so you went to culinary school and grinded your way up through all those different restaurant jobs, and you’re almost there. She wanted to stay home and sell makeup on Facebook with her phone in that fucking stupid MLM.”

“I think she’s still doing that.”

“Dumbass.” Link swiped a bite of porkchop through the applesauce and stuck it in his mouth. It was delicious. After he swallowed, he said, “Rhett ain’t Kristen.”

“No, he’s not.” Corey sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Link took another bite of pork chop. “This is amazing, by the way.”

“Thanks. And thanks for cleaning up those dicks.”

“I’m not gonna lie to you, Corey. I’m a fan of dick sucking, so it was my pleasure.”

They burst into laughter before finishing their porkchops. Link loaded the dishwasher as Corey went into the living room and turned on the TV.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” he yelled as he sat on the couch. “There’s dicks all between the cushions!”

Link just shook his head and grinned.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Text from: Rhett

(Rhett): wanna go to a show

(Link): like the taffy house?

(Link): not really

(Rhett): oh it wasn’t that bad

(Rhett): you met me

(Link): i suppose

(Rhett): but no not like that

(Rhett): it’s at the highland

(Link): the highland is cool

(Link): but you forget i don’t really like the music you like

(Link): and am also a dork

(Rhett): it’s not hardcore

(Rhett): more like early 2000s post punk revival

(Link): i have no idea what that means

(Rhett): like the killers

(Rhett): or the white stripes

(Link): oh that sounds ok

(Rhett): and you’re not a dork

(Rhett): don’t wear the purple sweater though

(Link): whatever

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I _cannot_ believe how much you ate!” Link said.

“Why?” Rhett asked. “I never had any of that stuff before. I wanted to try as many different things as possible.” They’d spent the afternoon at the Ethnic Enrichment Festival looking at crafts and eating food from around the world.

Link sat on his couch and put his stocking feet on the coffee table. They had WORK SUCKS on the soles and HAVE A NICE DAY on the cuffs. “You never had ethnic food when you were growing up? I thought rich people loved that shit.”

“Nah.” Rhett put his feet on the table, too. His socks were black and one had a hole in the toe. “My parents were boring as fuck. We ate a lot of fancy stuff, but it was all European fancy.”

“So what was your favorite?”

“Jamaican patty,” Rhett replied instantly. “You?”

“Those little spherical pancakes from Denmark,” Link said. “They were so cute!”

Rhett laughed. “You _would_ like something cute.” He draped an arm over Link’s shoulder and kissed his temple. “Probably ‘cause you’re so cute.”

Link blushed and leaned his face against Rhett’s chest. “Hey. I have good news and bad news.”

“Oh?” Rhett raised an eyebrow.

“Well...the good news is that you’ve convinced me this isn’t just physical.”

Rhett felt a hopeful twitch in his pants. “Only took like five months. But what’s the bad news?”

Link dropped his head in shame. “I completely forgot to get condoms.”

“Oh, come on!” Rhett groaned and covered his face with his hands. “Why would you even tell me you’re ready if you aren’t actually ready?”

“There’s other stuff we can do!” Link protested.

“Oh, yeah? Like what?”

Link gave Rhett his best innocent eyes. “You wanna go into the bedroom and find out?”

“ _Fuck_ yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I totally invited you over to hook up but also forgot to get condoms" aka "the first time I went over to my now-husband's apartment"


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to @sohox for writing this chapter!

Rhett loved watching Link strip. It never got old. He wasn’t all that coordinated and it was usually pretty silly, but he was so enthusiastic and had so much fun that it ended up being hot.

Everything started out the same this time, Link dancing around while Rhett watched and took his own clothes off. One he was naked, though, instead of climbing on top of Rhett and straddling him as usual, he stood with his back to Rhett, spread his legs a little, and leaned over with a straight back to place his hands flat on the floor. Rhett could see _everything_.

Link dropped his head and grinned at Rhett, upside down. “Well?”

“Jesus Christ,” Rhett said when he was finally able to speak. He reached out a slightly shaky hand. “Can I…?”

“Just a second, I can’t stand like that for long.” Link got on his knees on the bed and stretched forward, even more spread and exposed than before. “Okay. Whatever you want.”

“Anything?” Rhett said weakly. No one had ever offered themselves to him like this. It was almost too much.

“Anything,” Link confirmed. “I trust you.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Link waited patiently, knees shifting on the bed as Rhett gently caressed his ass, open palm roaming over his right cheek. He paused to squeeze hard enough to elicit a sharp gasp. Link’s skin felt so good, warm and smooth. Rhett wanted to touch every inch of him. Link would probably let him, too. 

Link sighed with pleasure when Rhett trailed his thumb along the cleft of his ass, brushing the pad of his finger over Link’s tight hole, rubbing a circle over the puckered skin. 

“So what do you want, Rhett?” Link’s voice was low and seductive. It was a big change in tone from his goofy striptease.

“I want to make you feel good. What do _you_ want me to do?” 

“Put your mouth on me. Use your tongue,” Link commanded as he pushed his hips back, chasing more pressure from the lazy swipes of Rhett’s finger. 

Rhett thought about it, kind of shocked that Link would ask for something so dirty. It wasn’t something he would normally do himself, but if Link was willing to ask, he was willing to give it a shot. Link wasn’t innocent, for all that he pretended to be, but this request had taken Rhett by surprise. Then again, Link hadn’t hesitated to blow him in the park. He felt his cock twitch just thinking about that particular memory, not to mention the thought of reducing Link to a shaking mess. He reached under Link’s hips, stroking his cock with one long, rough tug. He got settled behind him on the bed and got both hands on Link’s plump flesh, pulling his cheeks apart.

Link looked back at him over his shoulder, eyes dark and hooded, lower lip pulled in between his teeth. Rhett groaned out loud as he moved forward, licking a hot stripe from the seam of Link’s balls to up to his entrance, concentrating his attention on the tight ring of muscle. 

Link cried out and his eyes fluttered shut as Rhett worked his asshole with his tongue, over and over, getting it slick with spit. 

“Fingers, Rhett. _Please.”_

“Lube?” Rhett asked.

Link pointed to the bedside table. “Bottom drawer.”

Rhett opened the drawer and raised his eyebrows. There were a couple toys along with the lube. He made a mental note for the future and retrieved the lube. He popped it open before applying a wet dollop right into the cleft of Link’s ass. Link hissed at the cold sensation, the curve of his round ass popping up even more enticingly. Rhett watched the liquid dribble slightly before catching it with his thumb, smearing it around in a thick even coat, letting the pad of his thumb dip in ever so slightly on each pass. Link whimpered, sexy little high pitched noises that were making Rhett’s dick ache. It was stupid hot, but Rhett already wanted more. He wanted to watch Link fall apart for him. 

He grabbed Link by the waist and roughly flipped him over to put him flat on his back. Link’s expression was equal parts shocked and turned on. He pushed one of Link’s legs up toward his chest, spreading him wide open, his cock rock hard against his stomach. Rhett slicked up his index and middle finger, reaching down between Link’s legs to push his middle digit into him in one smooth motion. Link instantly fluttered around the intrusion, angling his hips down to push it further into him. 

“Eager little thing, aren’t ya, baby?” Rhett teased, dragging his finger in and out, picking up the pace every Link moaned. He loved when Link moaned. He wanted to hear that sound every second of every day. 

“God, I want you to fuck me so bad!” 

“Well, I can’t and that’s your own damn fault.” Rhett added the second finger, muscles stretching tight. Link looked like he was about ready to scream in frustration, so Rhett pushed his fingers further, hoping to distract him, and angled them just right to brush against Link’s prostate, which succeeded in shutting him up fast.

He crooked his fingers, earning a gasp before he grabbed Link’s cock, angling it down toward his mouth. “Things seem to be working out okay on your end, though,” he said before sucking the glistening precum from Link’s tip. He loved the way Link let his head fall back, his long throat exposed, chest heaving with every ragged breath he took. Rhett promised himself he was going to mark every inch of that neck later. For now he focused on circling Link’s cock with his wet tongue, savoring the flavor of every inch. It was almost as delicious as every mumbled _fuck_ and _feels so good_ Link volunteered. Rhett was drinking in the praise, storing away every moment that Link told him not to stop. Rhett would do this for days if Link was going to be this stupid for it. 

He wrapped a hand around his leaking dick, making up for the lost grip on Link’s cock by taking him in deeper into his mouth and pumping his fingers in and out, faster, nailing Link’s prostate on every upstroke. Rhett fought to keep his watering eyes open, not wanting to miss a second of the obscene show that Link was putting on. He looked so hot. Bright spots of color burned high on his cheekbones. Link pumped his hips, pushing further into Rhett’s mouth on every press up, fucking himself harder on Rhett’s fingers on every press down. Link was using him as his own personal fuck toy, and the thought made Rhett’s dick leak, precum slicking every stroke of his hand. He wasn’t going to last long, but fuck, if he wasn’t going to make sure Link came first. 

He pulled out all the stops, sinking as deep onto Link’s cock as he could, opening up his throat to take him all the way down. He buried his nose in the fine hair at his base, hollowing his cheeks as he sucked harder.

Link’s hands found the hair at the back of Rhett’s head and tugged at it, groaning “Fuck, don’t fucking stop. I’m gonna cum.” Rhett’s hand on his own cock sped up. He concentrated every one of his senses on the moment. The feeling of Link’s cock pulsing in his mouth caused Rhett’s orgasm to slam into him, thick ropes of cum splashing onto the duvet a second before his mouth flooded with the warmth of Link’s release. He sucked him through it, until they were both shaking and Link had to push him away. 

“Wow.” Link was breathing hard, eyes closed. His dark hair was haloed out around his head. “That was almost as good as being fucked.”

Rhett draped an arm across his chest. “ _I’m_ gonna buy some fucking condoms to put in my wallet.”

“That’s not the best place for ‘em,” Link mumbled.

“They won’t be in there long, because I’m gonna fuck you next time I see you. Jesus, Link. You’re into some weird shit, but that was the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”

Link made an obnoxious whiny noise. “It’s not that weird.”

“What about those toys I saw? I don’t even know how some of those are supposed to work.”

“I’ll give you a demonstration some time.” Link yawned. “I wanna take a nap before we go to that show.”

“Sounds good.” They tucked themselves under the covers, nestled together perfectly.


	11. Chapter 11

“Do you actually wear all of these?” Rhett asked as he ran his hand across Link’s dress shirts, making the hangers rattle.

“Every day.” Link sat on the bed in his blue and purple striped boxer briefs, watching. “I work in a pretty conservative office, Rhett. My coworkers think I’m daring because I’ll wear plaid on a Friday.”

Rhett made a disgusted face that showed exactly what he thought of _that_ and moved to Link’s dresser. “Your clothes are all so… bland,” Rhett said, poking around. He held up a pale blue shirt with a golden fox on it. “Even your graphic tees are pretty boring.”

“You don’t have to be such a jerk about it,” Link said. “It’s more interesting than your wardrobe, anyway.”

Rhett dropped the fox shirt. “Excuse me?”

“You always wear the same thing, Rhett! Ripped up jeans, boots, and a band shirt. Sometimes a hoodie or jacket. In fact, I think you only own three pairs of pants.” Link ticked them off on his fingers. “Black pants with patches, black pants without patches that could probably actually use a few, and those jeans with the knees ripped out. And I guess those pajama pants with little skulls on them that Sammi got you.”

“So?”

“So, I have all kinds of stuff! Tees and jeans and sweaters and button up shirts and hoodies and sneakers and slacks. All different colors. Lots of variety.” Link snickered as a thought struck him.

Rhett narrowed his eyes. “What are you laughing about?”

“Just…” Link giggled. “You had to wear uniforms in high school, right? And you hated them. But now you wear what’s basically a stereotypical punk uniform. So who’s really the boring one?”

Rhett glared at Link and opened and shut his mouth a few times. “Fuck you,” he said finally.

“Wow, sorry, geez.” Link held up his hands in apology. “I wasn’t trying to be insulting.”

“Yeah, well, you were. And just because you’re too fucking scared--”

“ _What?_ ”

“--to wear anything interesting doesn’t mean you get to judge _me_.”

“What on earth is your problem tonight?” Link asked in bewilderment. He grabbed the blue fox shirt out of the drawer and pulled it on. “I don’t dress like this because I’m scared of anything, Rhett. I dress like this because I like it.”

“Do you like that shit?” Rhett gestured towards the closet and the dress shirts, ties, and slacks within.

Link made a so-so gesture with his hand. “I mean, yeah, some of it. Not the plain white and blue shirts, but a lot of the other ones. And it’s kind of nice to get all dressed up sometimes, you know? I wouldn’t wanna wear jeans and a hoodie to meet important clients at work. Gotta have that psychological armor.” He tilted his head to the side. “Do you have a suit somewhere?”

“Fuck, no.”

“What if you had to go to a wedding or a funeral?”

Rhett shrugged.

“That’s not an answer.” Link rubbed his forehead. “Okay, look. My cousin is getting married next spring, and I was gonna ask you to be my plus one, but it’s gonna be formal and you’d have to wear a suit. I’m not asking you to make a decision now, but I am asking you to think about it.”

“Is this the cousin you like, or the one you don’t?” Rhett asked.

Link frowned. “The one I like. Why?”

“Because the one you don’t like sounds like a bitch and I don’t want to go to her wedding.” Rhett sat on the bed next to Link. “It would be a costume.”

Link rolled his eyes. “Everyone’s in a costume at a formal wedding, Rhett.”

“Yeah, I guess so. I’d just feel like a fuckin’ fraud.”

“Rhett. You have gauges and bleached hair and tattoos on your hands and neck. No one is going to mistake you for anything but what you are, even in a suit.”

“It’s not on my neck.” A tattoo of the outline of California curved around the back of Rhett’s right ear. Marissa had the same one.

“The side of your head? Whatever. My point is--” Link poked him in the ribs, through a hole in his t-shirt. “I’m not judging you or asking you to change, okay?”

“Yeah. Okay.”

“But! You’re kind of doing it to me. ‘Your clothes are boring, don’t wear the purple sweater,’ that kind of shit. And it bothers me, but I’ve been trying to let it go because sometimes I get fixated on things that don’t matter.” He looked at Rhett, blue eyes serious. “But I need you to stop.”

“Uh.” Link was rarely this direct. Rhett figured it probably had something to do with his chronic overthinking. For him to say something so bluntly, it had to have been on his mind for a long time. “Okay.”

“This isn’t a hardcore show, though, right? No one’s really going to care what I wear?” Link was back to the overthinking.

“Probably not, no,” Rhett admitted. Link opened the closet and pulled out the purple sweater. Rhett pursed his lips and said nothing.

Link noticed and gestured to Rhett’s clothes, which were still piled on the floor. “It would be a costume if I dressed like that, anyway.”

“But it would be so hot, though!”

“Yeah?” Link countered. “Well, you’d be hot in a suit.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Link received three compliments on his purple sweater at the show. Granted, they were all from very drunk girls, but he still felt vindicated.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Have fun! Bye!” Marissa yelled as Rhett and Link got into the car and drove off. Sammi saluted them with her glass of wine. She leaned back on her chair and propped her feet up on the porch railing. Her toenails were bright green.

“What does Rhett see in him, do you think?” she asked.

“Uh, he’s super hot, and like the nicest guy ever,” Marissa said. “Who wouldn’t be into him? Hell, _I’m_ kind of into him.”

“Oh, for sure,” Sammi agreed. “But he’s exactly the sort of person that Rhett doesn’t like. In theory, at least.”

Marissa lit a cigarette. “How so?”

“You know, wears a suit, works in a big corporate office, has a nice car. Follows society’s rules.” She reached over and plucked the cigarette from Marissa’s fingers, took a drag, and handed it back. “Did you know he has a master’s degree?”

“Link? Really?”

“Yeah, some kind of engineering thing. He’s pretty smart.” Sammi refilled Marissa’s wine glass with Two Buck Chuck when she held it out. 

“He can’t be that smart. I mean, he’s fucking Rhett,” Marissa pointed out.

“God, I know. That boy is _vocal_! It would be hot if Rhett wasn’t involved.”

Marissa snorted and stubbed out her cigarette in the overflowing ashtray. “So when do you think Link’s gonna figure it out?”

“Figure what out?”

“That Rhett’s kiiiiind of a loser.” Marissa shook her head and took a sip of wine. “I mean, I love him, he’s practically my brother, but he’s going nowhere fast.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Sammi said. “Is that a bad thing, though? He seems happy. And it’s not like _we’re_ going anywhere, either.”

Marissa scoffed. “Uh, we might not have masters degrees, but it’s not like we’re working part time retail for minimum wage, unlike _some_ people I could name.” Sammi worked as a CNA and was studying to be an LPN, while Marissa was a hairdresser and aesthetician in a spa. “I mean, if that’s what makes Rhett happy and he can pay his rent, more power to him. I just don’t think it’ll be enough for Link.”

“You’re probably right.” Sammi put her wineglass on the wobbly patio table. “Are you gonna talk to him about it?”

Marissa threw back her head and laughed. “Rhett? Are you kidding? He’d be all like, ‘Oh, Link’s not like the other corporate drones! He’s different. He doesn’t care that he has to pay for everything because I’m always broke from buying weed and beer’.”

Sammi cackled at Marissa’s Rhett impression. “Yep, that’s Rhett alright.”

“So I’m just gonna let Rhett be Rhett. That’s all I can do.” She lit another cigarette and took a drag before passing it over to Sammi. They sat in silence for a while, sharing the smoke.

“Will you do my hair this weekend?” Sammi asked finally.

“Sure. What color do you want this time?”

“Pink. Like cotton candy.”

“You got it, babe.”


	12. Chapter 12

“Where the hell did you learn that?” Rhett gasped when he finally caught his breath. Link collapsed on the bed next to him and grinned.

“Saw it in porn, thought it looked fun.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Rhett rolled on top of him and kissed Link’s neck. “I love fucking you, baby,” he whispered in Link’s ear as Link giggled. “You’re such a slut for me. Do your coworkers have any idea how much of a slut you are?”

“No! Only a few of them even know I have a boyfriend.”

“And why’s that?” he asked teasingly as he threaded his fingers through Link’s hair. “You ashamed of me, hmm?”

Link giggled even more. “ _No_! I just don’t talk about my personal life at work that much.”

“Why not?” Rhett rolled off of Link and pulled him close instead.

“Because it’s pretty conservative, like I said, and I’m a lot younger than a lot of my coworkers.” He made a face. “Probably gonna be rough for a while when I get promoted over them.”

“Bleah. Why would you want to work in a place like that?” Rhett asked. Link pulled back and gave him a look. “What?”

“Have you ever had an office job? I know you only ever had shitty jobs after you left your folks’ place, but did you ever work at like your dad’s buddy’s office over the summer or anything?”

Rhett shook his head.

Link laid his head back on Rhett’s shoulder. “Oh. Well, every office I’ve ever worked in has been like that in one way or another. There’s so many people and you all spend so much time together, you have to draw your boundaries _somewhere_. I just keep mine closer than a lot of people. Most of my coworkers are nice. There’s just a couple jerks. It’s better than a lot of places I’ve worked.” 

“Do you actually like it?”

“I like designing things! Unfortunately, the kind of big, complicated things I like to design kind of require a lot of other people working on them at the same time, so I guess you could say the coworkers are a necessary evil.” He poked Rhett in the belly. “What about you? You gonna work in that record store forever?”

Rhett shrugged, jostling Link’s head. “Hey!”

“Sorry.” Rhett stroked Link’s dark hair. “I mean, probably not, but it’s not like I have any other plans.”

“Mm.” Link couldn’t quite keep the disapproval out of his voice.

“What’s that, Link?” Rhett held a hand up to his ear. “Did you just say something like, ‘Rhett, you’re so smart! You got into a bunch of good colleges! Why did you throw that all away?’”

“I didn’t say that.” There was a note of reproach in Link’s voice.

“But you thought it.”

Link groaned. “Fine, you got me. But why _did_ you do it? I know your parents sabotaged you financially, but there had to have been other options.”

Rhett didn’t say anything, just played with Link’s hair. Link traced his finger across Rhett’s collarbone. He had a creature that Link once described as a “fire breathing rooster dragon” (much to Rhett’s annoyance) tattooed across the upper part of his chest, and the flames licked up to his shoulder.

It was his nicest tattoo by far. In addition to the cockatrice, the MYTHICAL knuckles, and the California outline behind his ear, Rhett had the EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURT tombstone from Slaughterhouse-Five on the outside of one arm and a bunch of little doodles on the inside--a can of beans, two guitars, one electric and one acoustic, a fluffy little dog, a few constellations. His worst tattoo was a self done stick-and-poke star above his right knee. It was faded and lopsided, but it was his first and Rhett loved it.

Link wasn’t entirely sure what to make of all the tattoos. He had to admit, they suited Rhett, but getting tattoos on his hands and neck (and it was totally on his neck) was a pretty bold move. It was a symbol of his commitment to his lifestyle that made Link a little apprehensive. He really, really liked Rhett, but he was starting to think they might not have a future together. Link figured he’d just enjoy it while it lasted.

“You don’t have to answer,” Link said finally. Rhett’s answer was to hug Link closer and kiss his forehead.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I haven’t seen Link in a while,” Marissa said. She and Rhett were in the dining room/studio, working on a song.

“He’s out of town. Business trip,” Rhett replied. It hurt a little, seeing Link go on a trip that Rhett would never be able to afford. It wasn’t like Link was having fun, though. He was so busy he barely had time to text Rhett, although he did send an incredibly hot picture from the hotel shower.

“Oh, okay..” Marissa played a little tune on her bass. “Ooh. That was good. I’m gonna do it again.” Rhett recorded it as she played.

“So if you do _that_ , and I do _this_ ,” Rhett played along with the recording. “What do you think?”

“I like it!” Marissa hit record and they played together. A few hours later, they had something that would work as the base of a song.

“You seem sad, dude,” Marissa observed as they put up their guitars and retired to the threadbare couch. “You missin’ Link?”

“Yeah.” Rhett picked the ever present pipe and lighter up off the table, but didn’t do anything with them. “I didn’t realize how much I would.”

“You like him that much, huh?”

“I like him a lot.” Rhett lit the pipe and took a hit. “Really, really a lot.”

Marissa took the pipe. “Do you love him?” It was a sincere question.

“I don’t know! Can you fall in love with someone in six months?” Rhett threw up his hands in confusion and almost hit Marissa in the face. “I never loved anybody before anyway.”

Marissa ducked. “You love me,” she said.

“Well, _yeah_. But that’s not the same and you know it.” Rhett turned and used his feet to push Marissa to the other end of the couch so he could lie down.

Marissa smacked his leg. “So what are you gonna do about it? You gonna tell him?”

“Maybe?” Rhett chewed his lip nervously. “I don’t know how he’d react.”

“Only one way to find out.” Marissa took another hit and held out the pipe to Rhett. He shook his head, so she set it back on the table.

“What if he doesn’t, you know, feel the same?”

She shrugged. “He’s gonna feel how he feels, Rhett. That’s not something you can control.”

“It scares me, to feel like this about somebody,” Rhett admitted.

“Because it makes you feel vulnerable?” Marissa guessed, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah.” Rhett groaned and rubbed his hands over his face.

“That’s not a bad thing.” Marissa leaned over and patted the bare knee that poked out from Rhett’s ripped pants. “You’re gonna be okay. One way or the other.”

“Yeah?” Rhett peeked out from between his hands. “Thanks.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Text to: Sammi

(Marissa): so i just asked rhett if he loved link

(Marissa): and he basically said yes

(Sammi): uh oh

(Marissa): yeah

(Sammi): you better finish that song quick 

(Marissa): why?

(Sammi): bc p soon i bet all rhett’s gonna be writing is sad breakup songs

(Sammi): on his acoustic

(Marissa): you’re probably right

(Marissa): gdi


	13. Chapter 13

The two men originally came out to Link’s patio so Rhett could smoke, but it was a nice night, so they just sat and talked. 

“Let’s go somewhere,” Link said. “Take a vacation.”

“You just got back,” Rhett said. “You really want to leave again so soon?”

“Are you kidding?” Link slumped in his patio chair. “I need a break even more after that. We had meetings and workshops from 8 in the morning to 7 in the evening, and then everyone had to go out for dinner and drinks afterwards for networking. It was hell.” 

“Where would you want to go?”

“Denver, Seattle, DC, Miami, Nashville, Minneapolis… I don’t care. Just somewhere that isn’t here.”

Rhett shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I can’t exactly afford a plane ticket, Link.”

“Oh.” Link wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “Well, what about somewhere within driving distance?”

“That’d be better.” Rhett pulled out a cigarette and lit up. “But still not great.”

Link frowned at him. “It doesn’t have to be right now. You could, you know, save up.”

Rhett blew out an annoyed plume of smoke. “Or you could pay my way, since it’s your idea.”

“Wow.” Link was taken aback. “I didn’t realize that taking a trip was going to be such a hot button issue.”

“I can’t fucking afford it, okay?” Rhett snapped before taking an angry drag. He folded in on himself a little. Link couldn’t quite tell if it was anger, shame, or both.

Link watched and folded his arms. “But you can afford cigarettes. And weed.”

“I was literally smoking a cigarette the first time we met!”

“Yeah, I know, I was there, too. But that’s like the only thing you ever buy, Rhett! I mean, you got that jacket by going up to the lost and found at the movies and asking if they had your black jacket. You never even _had_ a black jacket!” Link said in exasperation. “I know you’re all anticonsumerist and anticapitalist, but there’s a difference between that and your self inflicted vow of poverty or whatever the fuck this is.”

Rhett flicked his cigarette butt onto the patio instead of putting it in the empty Sprite can tucked next to the door for that purpose. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Just, I think you’re overcompensating, is all.”

“For _what_?” He glared at Link.

“The way you grew up.” Link looked up at the dusky sky and tapped his fingers on his thigh as he tried to figure out his phrasing. “Like, from what you’ve said about your parents, they were very into appearances and put a lot of emphasis on prosperity, right?”

That got a grudging, “Yeah,” from Rhett.

“Okay, but then they pushed you out for being gay--rejected you, basically.”

“Yeah.” Bitter, this time.

“So now you’re rejecting all that. The whole punk asceticism thing is, like, the polar opposite of of your parents’ values.” He looked at Rhett. “Yeah?”

“You really fucking annoy me sometimes,” Rhett said.

“Tell me I’m wrong, then.” In response, Rhett slumped down in his chair and refused to look at Link, who said, “That’s what I thought.”

Rhett continued to look across the street, even though there was nothing to see there, just the empty parking lot of a church. Link felt a pang of guilt at his defeated posture.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “That was a really dickish way to put that.”

“You’re not wrong,” Rhett mumbled. “But you are a dick.”

Link stared at the church parking lot and thought. “Could you take a couple days off work?” he asked slowly.

“Probably. Why?”

“I could get a hotel room and we could pretend like we don’t live here. Do the shit we’d do if we were tourists, eat at places we’ve never been before.” Link turned and gave him a little smile. “Yeah?”

Rhett huffed a laugh out of his nose. “You’re such a dork.”

“So is that a yes?” Link’s grin widened. “I can get one of those rooms with the heart shaped hot tub.”

“Oh my _god_.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Corey bonked a casserole dish against Link’s patio door. Link unlocked it and let him in.

“You’re back early, bro!” Corey put the dish down on the counter. Link peeled back the foil.

“Tuna noodle?” he guessed. “But fancy.”

“Yeah, it’s got white wine, leeks, white cheddar, thyme, some other good shit. How was your staycation?”

Link froze as he pulled a serving spoon out of the drawer. “Uh…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_It wasn’t quite a honeymoon suite and the hot tub was oval, not heart shaped, but the room with its California king bed and glass enclosed gas fireplace was by far the nicest hotel room Link had ever rented._

_“This is the fanciest place I’ve stayed since I was seventeen, I think,” Rhett said as he sprawled out on the bed. “One day I’m gonna have a bed this size.”_

_Privately, Link wondered how Rhett thought he was going to afford it. Out loud he said, “So what do you want to do?”_

_“Probably the same thing you want to do.” Rhett leered and sprang up off the bed. He grabbed Link by the waist and shoved him down on the bed, humping his ass. Link shrieked with laughter._

_“Yeah!” Link giggled. “But I wanna get in the hot tub.” Rhett paused in his dry humping._

_“Can I tell you something?” he said in a serious voice._

_“Sure.”_

_“We had a pool and a hot tub, and I when I was seventeen, I had a friend from school over. And we were into each other, you know?”_

_“Oh, I know.” Link had been in similar situations, albeit in a local swimming hole instead of a hot tub._

_“Well, he gave me a handjob, under the water, and my mom came outside right as I came. No hiding that.”_

_“Oh nooo.” Link would have clapped his hands over his mouth in horror if he hadn’t still been squished under Rhett with the side of his face pressed into the (probably disgusting) hotel comforter._

_“Oh yes. And that’s how my parents found out I was gay,” Rhett concluded._

_“God, Rhett, that sucks. I’m so sorry.”_

_Rhett shrugged over him, mushing Link further into the bed. “It is what it is. But I’m telling you this, because I wanna do it right this time.”_


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter by @sohox! thank you!

_The water bubbled between them, and Rhett relaxed back into that old familiar feeling, his always tense back muscles easing into the hot water. The hot tub was one of the few things he truly missed from his parents’ house. He stared at Link’s face, blue eyes sparkling more so than usual, not hidden behind his ever present glasses. Link’s eyebrows were pinched together, like he couldn’t see Rhett through the steam. Or maybe that was just the lack of glasses._

_The tub might have been large enough for two average-sized people, but given that Link stood tall at six feet, and Rhett towered over him at six foot seven, they both dwarfed the oval basin. Link had to sit with his legs draped over Rhett’s thighs and Rhett couldn’t resist running his hands along the lean muscles. His cock was already hard just from seeing Link splayed out like that, naked, little droplets of water clinging to the skin of his chest._

_“This what you had in mind?” Link laughed, wiggling his toes against Rhett’s ribcage, making him squirm._

_“Not, uh… not quite.” Rhett conceded. It didn’t matter, though. He had Link here, in front of him, naked and wet and he could put his eyes and his hands all over him. He grabbed Link by both of his wrists, pulling him forward until he settled right into Rhett’s lap, his long legs wrapped around Rhett’s skinny waist. “I was thinking something more like this.”_

_Link angled his chin, moving in to press his lips against the corner of Rhett’s mouth, dropping kisses along his lower lip but never quite letting Rhett take it further. They could both feel their cocks pressed against their own, begging for attention as they slid against each other._

_Link traced his tongue along the seam of Rhett’s lips, finally coaxing him open. Rhett surged against him, licking hotly into his mouth as he dragged Link’s hips forward, grinding their cocks together until they were both panting against each others mouths._

_“Stop fucking teasing, Rhett.” Link groaned against his lips, reaching between them into the water to get his hand on Rhett’s thick cock. Rhett’s flesh was already overheated, but the combination of the hot water and Link‘s warm hand was enough to make him feel like he was on fire. He bucked his hips up, pushing harder into Link’s hand. Link lined their cocks together, taking them both into his fist, his other hand dipping under to roll their balls between his fingers. Rhett’s entire body shivered from the way Link’s tongue was stroking his, from the feel of Link’s hands on his shoulders, from the chill of the quickly evaporating water on his chest. The sensations were overwhelming, but he already wanted more._

_“Turn around,” he pushed at Link until he was facing the other way, hugging the far end of the porcelain tub, ass in the air. Rhett loved the way Link’s hips felt under his big hands, the way his fingers could sink into the soft flesh of Link’s belly and pelvis. He loved how delicate but strong Link felt when he pulled the globes of his ass cheeks apart, one finger finding the tight ring of muscles. He loved how Link gasped in surprise every single time he slid his finger over his hole._

_Rhett leaned into him, lapping his tongue over his glistening skin, drinking in the gasps and groans as Link pushed back into the feeling. Rhett loved the tease, love pressing his tongue into the tight ring of muscles, knowing it wasn’t enough to push all the way in, not when Link hadn’t been worked open yet. Link couldn’t get enough. He whined, trembling, begging for more, for Rhett to get deeper, for his fingers, anything._

_Rhett had to hold Link’s hips steady, fingers digging into his damp soft flesh to keep him upright. Every shift of Link’s body had him slipping on the floor of the tub, crashing him back against Rhett’s mouth._

_“Hold still!”_

_“I’m tryin’!” Link cried out as his knees slipped, sending him collapsing against the far wall of the tub._

_Rhett growled, pushing him away enough to get on up onto his own knees. “Let’s get out, we’re both too huge for this thing.”_

_They both scrambled out, crashing into each other in a mess of wet limbs and kisses and giggles, hands everywhere. They sank to the tile floor, pausing long enough for Rhett to snatch up his jeans, finding a condom and packet of lube in his wallet._

_“Thought you were trying to fulfill some Hot Tub Fantasy?”_

_“I’d rather not break my neck, or yours for that matter.” He hauled one of Link’s legs up, over his shoulder as he rolled on the condom. He tore open the lube, slicking up his middle and ring finger, before drizzling the rest directly onto Link’s taint, watching as it dripped down between his cheeks. “Fuck.” He cursed at the image, taking a second to admire the way Link’s damp curls framed his perfect cock._

_Link jerked his hips up in protest. “Rhett, do it before I do it myself!” he demanded, wrapping his own hand around his shaft, sinking his fist down and cupping his blushing sack. Rhett slid first one, then both of his slick digits into Link, not giving him too much time to adjust. Link took him easily, both fingers sinking into his furthest knuckle, pushing his hips up in the rhythm that Rhett had set. Rhett angled his fingers just right, pressing hard and fast against Link’s prostate while his thumb stroked the textured skin of Link’s sack. He couldn’t get enough of the way Link’s body was shaking under him, the way he had his foot planted on the ground, giving him leverage to push against Rhett’s intruding hand. His cock throbbed at the image of his two longest fingers driving Link crazy, milking gasps and groans from his throat._

_“You ready?” Link nodded his head quickly and Rhett pulled his fingers out, squeezing what was left of the lube packet into his hand to coat his dick. He pressed the swollen head of his cock to the crease of Link’s groin, using it to trace over his balls, all around his taint, teasing him relentlessly until he squirmed, propping himself up on his elbows to watch. Finally, Rhett lined himself up to Link’s entrance, pressing forward, both watching as Link opened up around him, not stopping until he was buried to the hilt._

_Link wrapped his legs tight around Rhett’s waist, dragging him down, pressing their mouths together as they both started to move. Rhett’s hips shifted back, just far enough to drag himself out half way before slamming forward again._

_“Fuck!’ Link groaned, tilting his hips to find the perfect angle. “Fuck, Rhett. Harder!”_

_The desperation in Link’s voice sparked a fire inside Rhett. He gathered both of Link’s wrists in one of his massive hands, holding them above his head as he held Link’s hip in a bruising grip. Their bodies slammed together over and over until they were both breathless, the groans between them growing more frantic, desperate for more._

_Rhett finally dropped both of Link’s hands so that he could haul Link into his lap, his own legs pushed out in front of him. Link’s hips splayed wide open as he straddled Rhett’s lap, his cock sinking impossibly deep into him. Rhett held him close, their chests pressed together as Link rode him, stealing the breath straight from his mouth as he kissed him deeply, searching for something Link wasn’t sure he’d find._

_“Love this, fuck, you feel so good.” Rhett babbled against his mouth. Link’s cock was trapped between them, the press of both their bellies surrounded him. Rhett was nailing the perfect angle every time Link shifted against him, and it didn’t take long before Link was crying out, white streaks painting the flesh of their stomachs, up their chests. “Fuck, fuck, baby, I can feel you, feel you cumming on me.” Rhett was barely coherent, losing himself in the feeling of Link’s spasming muscles milking him. He grabbed Link’s hips, slamming him down hard into his lap, cock deep inside his tight passage as he came, wave after wave of shivers crawling up his arms and chest._


	15. Chapter 15

_“You’re so beautiful,” Link whispered. They were tucked into the huge bed together, facing each other. Only one bedside light was on, partially illuminating the room._

_Rhett raised his eyebrows. “Beautiful?”_

_“Mmhm.” Link traced his finger over a dark brow. “Perfect eyebrows.” He trailed it down Rhett’s nose to his lips. Rhett kissed the tip of Link’s finger as it landed there. “Nice nose. Kissable lips.”_

_He continued narrating his finger’s journey across Rhett’s face. “Your eyes! I’ve never seen a color like that. And the way they crinkle up when you laugh is adorable. Your beard…” Link stroked his hand along Rhett’s jawline. “So masculine._

_Rhett laughed a little at that. “Shh,” Link scolded. He trailed his hand under the covers. “Broad shoulders. Hot stomach.” His hand went lower and gently squeezed. Rhett gasped. “Nice thick dick.”_

_“Link.” Rhett put a hand on the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss. “Link, you’re so beautiful, too. I don’t know if you know that, but you are. I saw you at that party, standing out like a sore thumb in that pink shirt, and I thought you were just about the most gorgeous person I’d ever seen.”_

_“Shirt notwithstanding?” Link teased._

_“Shirt notwithstanding. And, sidenote, I’d still like to dress you up sometime,” Rhett said, and kissed him again. “Anyway, I was absolutely shocked when you hooked up with me, and agreed to go out with me, and I’m still surprised every time we get together. I’m so lucky.”_

_“Rhett…”_

_“I really like you, Link.”_

_Link smiled. “I know. I like you, too.”_

_“It’s more than that, though.” Rhett took a deep breath. “Link, I… I love you.”_

_Link’s smile vanished and his blue eyes widened in shock. “Uh…”_

_“Oh.” There was a world of heartbreak in that single syllable._

_“Rhett, no, please, please, don’t be hurt.” Link’s hands flew to his chest. “Please.”_

_Rhett’s voice cracked. “But you don’t.”_

_Link squeezed his eyes closed, willing the tears gathering there not to fall. “I don’t know what to say. There’s nothing I can say. I like you, I care about you, spending time with you makes me happy, but I’m not going to lie to you and say something I don’t know that I feel.”_

_Rhett carefully removed Link’s hands from his chest and rolled away, putting as much space between them as possible. Link curled up and covered his face with his hands. He felt like the worst person in the world. It seemed incredibly cruel to lie there and cry next to Rhett, when he’d just hurt him so badly, so Link slid out of bed and locked himself in the bathroom. He didn’t know how long he sat under the running water and cried, but by the time he came out, Rhett was asleep._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“...so basically I paid $250 to screw everything up.” Link poked his noodles. They were delicious, but he didn’t really have an appetite.

“You didn’t screw it up,” Corey said. He was on his second helping of casserole. “You just didn’t feel the same, is all. And I think you did the right thing by not lying to him.”

“God! He barely said a word to me this morning. It was like I’d ripped his heart out.”

“Well…” Corey grimaced and held up his hands in a shrug.

“Ugh.” Link shoved his plate away and rested his head on folded arms. “I hate myself.”

“But you’re not broken up?”

“I don’t think so,” Link mumbled into the table. “What am I supposed to do now?”

Corey slid the plated back towards Link. The edge bonked into his head, but he didn’t move. “Eat up, bro. I don’t know what you should do, but you whatever it is, you should do it on a full stomach.”

Link pushed himself up and grabbed the fork. Corey kept an eye on him to make sure he finished as he covered up the casserole and stowed it in Link’s fridge. “C’mon, bro. Let’s go to my place and drink beer and watch _Kung Fu Hustle_.”

Link finished the last bite of noodle. “Okay. Thanks.”

Corey clapped him on the shoulder. “Hey, you did the same for me when I broke up with Kristen. Except you ordered Chinese takeout.”

“Trust me, it was the best option.” Link put his plate in the dishwasher. “Okay, let’s go.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Marissa!” Sammi yelled. “Marisssssaaaa!”

“ _What_?” Marissa emerged from the kitchen, cup of coffee in hand. “Are you getting murdered or something?”

“No!” Sammi frantically rifled through the detritus on the coffee table. She was wearing a floral pink scrub top that matched her cotton candy hair. “Have you seen my keys? I’m gonna be late to work.”

Marissa watched and sipped her coffee. “They’re probably in pocket of that jacket you borrowed from me last night.”

Sammi grabbed the jacket off the floor and dug through the pockets. “Aha!” She held up the keys on their rhinestone skull keychain up in triumph. “Thanks, I’ll see you toni--Agh!”

The front door flew open as Sammi reached for the knob and nearly smacked into her. She jumped back and dropped the keys. Rhett stormed through and didn’t even look at Sammi or Marissa as he fled up the stairs.

“I thought he wasn’t coming back until tomorrow,” Sammi said. She leaned over and grabbed the keys.

“He wasn’t supposed to.” Marissa pressed her lips into a thin line. “I’ll go talk to him.”

“Let me know what happened, okay? I’m dying of curiosity.” Sammi waved and ran out to her. Marissa stood at the window and watched her drive off.

After she finished her coffee and put the sink in the cup, Marissa climbed up the stairs and stood in front of Rhett’s door. Everything was quiet--no music, no talking, no crying. She gently rapped on it with her knuckle. “Rhett?”

No answer. Marissa knocked harder. “Rhett!”

“Go away!”

“Nope. I’m coming in.” Marissa turned the knob and stopped before actually opening the door. If Rhett really didn’t want her to come in, this was when he’d tell her to fuck off. But he didn’t, so she opened the door and stepped inside.

Rhett was curled up on the bed in a fetal position with the pillow over his head. He still had his boots on. Marissa sat next to his feet and began unlacing them.

“What happened?” she asked as she pried the boot off his foot. She shook her head at the hole in the heel of his sock.

“Link didn’t feel the same way,” Rhett mumbled from beneath the pillow. Marissa dumped the boots off the side of the bed and snuggled up next to him as the big spoon, even though Rhett was a foot and a half taller than her.

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.” She and Sammi had talked about making a bet on what Link would do if Rhett told him he loved him, but it turned out they both thought Link would probably dump him. “Being dumped sucks.”

“We didn’t break up. I don’t think so, anyway.”

“You don’t think so?” Marissa’s brow furrowed. “You don’t know?”

“We didn’t talk much afterwards.” Rhett let out a long shaky breath. “I told him I loved him, and he said he cared about me but couldn’t lie and say something that he didn’t feel, and then he went and cried in the shower. That fucker.”

“Oh, Rhett.” Marissa squeezed him tight. “Do you want me to stay, or do you want to be alone?”

“Alone.”

“Okay.” Marissa got up and pried the pillow off Rhett’s head. He looked miserable. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I don’t have to be at work until noon, so I’ll be downstairs if you want anything.”

Rhett just pulled the pillow back over his head and listened to her close the door behind her and then clump down the stairs. He felt empty, hollowed out and betrayed. All that romantic shit Link did--the fancy hotel room, telling Rhett he was beautiful, inviting him to a wedding--why would he do that if he didn’t have strong feelings for Rhett? And making Rhett wait five months to have sex ‘to make sure it wasn’t just physical’... what the hell was _that_ about? Were things just physical for Link at this point?

All his questions boiled down to two things: where did they stand now? And where did they stand with regards to the future?

They really needed to get together and talk this out.

But all Rhett could do at the moment was cry silently with his head under a pillow.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Text to: Link

(Rhett): we need to talk

(Link): yeah

(Link): i’ve been thinking a lot over the last week

(Link): and i’m sorry

(Rhett): for what?

(Link): just in general i guess

(Rhett): can you meet me at the coffeeshop

(Link): yeah i’m free anytime after 2

(Rhett): 2:30?

(Link): ok

(Link): see you then


	16. Chapter 16

Rhett was already there when Link arrived. He was out in the little outdoor seating area, a space reclaimed from an alleyway between two buildings. Link could see his white-blond hair through the window. He got a glass of iced tea from the bored barista and went out to have a conversation that was going to be awkward at best and devastating at worst.

Link pushed his way through the door to the outdoor patio and sat across from Rhett at a wrought iron table. The space was small enough that there were only two tables, set on uneven pavers. Walls of bare brick rose on two sides, with a trellis covered in morning glory vines facing the street and a privacy fence with an inset gate facing the parking lot behind them. Strings of LED Edison lights crisscrossed overhead, and Rhett’s bike was leaning against the trellis. It smelled cool and damp.

“Hey,” Link said uncertainly. They were alone. The other table was empty.

“Hi,” Rhett said. His voice was flat and he looked like hell. Link guessed he’d been drinking a lot and not sleeping well. That’s what Link had been doing over the past week, anyway. When he dropped Rhett of at house the morning after their disastrous night at the hotel, Rhett mumbled something about needing a few days to think, but it was a full week before he contacted Link. For his part, Link spent the week obsessing over everything he’d done and everything he’d said, but he never came up with a clear conclusion, just that he felt terrible about the whole thing. He looked at Rhett miserably.

“So…” Link began. Rhett cut him off.

“So, here’s what I need to know,” he said, and pointed at Link. “Is this a ‘not yet’ kind of situation, or a ‘not ever’ kind of situation?”

Rhett had also spent the week obsession and poring over everything that happened, but, unlike Link, he had come to a conclusion: if Link believed he _could_ love Rhett back someday, he was willing to wait. If not, he was done.

Link blinked at him. “Uh. What?”

Rhett slapped a hand against the table, making Link jump and rattling his empty latte cup. “Damn it, Link! I just need to know if I should wait, or if I should give up.”

“Oh.” Link stirred his tea with his straw. The ice cubes clicked against each other. “Rhett, I...I really like you.”

“No shit.” Rhett’s tone wasn’t quite cruel, but it was close.

“And I think… maybe… one day it could be more?” Link dropped his head into his hands and stared down at the table. There was an ant making its way around the edge of the table and he watched it instead of looking at Rhett.

“But?”

“Yeah, there’s a ‘but’.” Link squeezed his eyes closed and once again willed himself not to cry. “Rhett, I’d never, ever ask you to change who you are, because I really like you. But… the way you live your life and the way I live mine… I just don’t think they’re compatible? Sustainable? Something like that.”

He glanced up. Rhett’s face was unreadable. Link sighed, looked back down, and continued. “I want somebody who can go on trips with me without it being a financial burden. I want somebody who’s willing to wear a suit to a wedding. I want somebody who has goals that they’re working towards. And…” Link’s voice cracked. “I just don’t think that somebody is you.”

He looked up again. There was a minute change in Rhett’s expression and he suddenly looked devastated. “How long were you going to string me along?” he asked.

“Rhett…”

“Nevermind.” Rhett got up and brushed off his pants. They were the black jeans without patches. He retrieved the bike from the trellis. “You say you respect me, but you don’t want to be with somebody like me? That’s not respect, asshole. That’s just using me. So I’m gonna respect myself.” He kicked the back gate open and pushed the bike through. “We’re done, Link.”

“Rhett!” The gate swung itself shut on creaking hinges, hiding Rhett as he threw a leg over the bike and began riding away. Link sat in the shady alleyway with tears coursing down his face until all the ice melted in his tea.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Wow.” Marissa raised her eyebrows and looked over at Sammi, who looked just as surprised. “I had no idea Link was such an asshole.”

“Me neither!” Sammi said. “What a fuckface.” She poured another shot for Rhett and handed it over. He slammed it back.

“Me neither,” he said. “I mean, after the hotel I kind of suspected… well, not _that_ , but something bad.”

“‘You’re not that somebody’,” Sammi snorted with disgust. “Christ.” She took a shot herself and handed the bottle over to Marissa, who took a swig straight from it.

“Yeah.” Rhett stared ahead for a moment and then crumpled in on himself before bursting into tears.

“Oh, honey.” Marissa wrapped her arms around him. Sammi reached over her lap to pat Rhett’s leg in support. “I know. I know.”

“Yeah, me too.” Sammi had moved in with Rhett and Marissa after discovering that her boyfriend was cheating on her with not one, but two, other women. “Maybe you’ll get some good song material out of it, though.”

“Ooh, yeah!” Marissa said. “Shitty breakups are _always_ good for great lyrics. You could be the next Adele. Or Taylor Swift.” Rhett spluttered a wet laugh through his tears at that.

“Jesus, Marissa,” he said when he could talk again. 

“He’s the reason for the teardrops on my guitar,” Marissa began.

“The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star,” Sammi joined in, badly. There was a reason she was a drummer instead of a singer. 

“Stop, stop!” Rhett pled, laughing. “I’ll get back together with him if you’ll just _stop_!”

“We are never, ever, ever, getting back together--”

“No!”

~*~*~*~*

Link didn’t have anyone to talk to. He texted Corey, but got no response, so he just crawled into bed fully dressed and cried until he passed out.

He woke up five hours later, groggy and disoriented as to why he was in waking up at 7pm on a Saturday, and why he was wearing jeans and a hoodie in bed. Link looked at his phone. His message to Corey five hours ago was still on the screen.

Text to: Corey

(Link): hey i just got dumped

(Link): so if you’re free i really need to talk

Corey’s answer was only from twenty minutes ago.

(Corey): sorry bro i was at the movies w/my parents

(Corey): i’m free for the rest of the evening

(Corey): dont see the new mission impossible btw

(Corey): it sucks

“Ugh.” Link rolled out from under the covers and scrubbed at his eyes. He felt gross, partially because of how true everything Rhett said was, and partially because he’d been sleeping in his clothes. He fired off a text to Corey.

(Link): just woke up

(Link): be there in 20

He peeled off his sweaty clothes and dumped them in the laundry basket before going into the bathroom. Link inspected himself in the mirror. He looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes and a line of stress between his eyebrows. 

“I’m such an asshole,” he mumbled as he turned on the water. “Hypocrite,” he continued as he stood under the hot spray and lathered up. “Didn’t deserve him,” Link concluded as he rinsed and exited the shower. He toweled off and dressed in sweats before heading to Corey’s.

“You look like shit,” Corey greeted him as Link entered through the sliding glass door.

“I am shit,” Link said as he collapsed onto one of the kitchen chairs. Corey gave him a surprised look. He wasn’t cooking anything, for a change.

“That’s not what the dumpee usually says. Usually it’s something like ‘ _he’s_ shit.’” Corey opened the fridge and surveyed the contents. “You want some leftover lasagna? Or I’ll make you a grilled cheese or something.”

“No thanks.” Link didn’t have an appetite, even for Corey’s lasagna.

“So why are you shit?” Corey served himself a large helping of lasagna and stuck in the microwave.

Link slumped over and cradled his head in his arms. “Because I knew we didn’t have a future because our lives were just too different but instead of telling Rhett that, I just kept seeing him. Stringing him along.”

The microwave beeped. “Yeah, that’s pretty shitty,” Corey agreed. He sat across from Link and dug into his lasagna.

“I was hoping you’d say something to make me feel better,” Link mumbled into the table. The lasagna smelled amazing.

“Sorry, bro.”

“I didn’t really realize that I was doing it.”

“That sucks.” Corey stuck another mouthful of pasta in his mouth.

“That’s not the worst part.” Link wanted to slide under the table and hide, but he also had a sick compulsion to confess his sins. “I said I respected him too much to ask him to change.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad…”

“But then I said I described the kind of person I wanted to be with, it was basically the opposite of him.”

“Okay, that’s pretty bad.”

“And he said, that’s not respect, but I respect myself, so we’re done.”

Corey nodded and scraped his fork across the plate to scoop up the last of the sauce. Link cringed at the noise. “Well, Link, I gotta say…”

“What?”

“I think he’s right.”

Link groaned and slithered out of his chair to lie crumpled on the floor. Corey got up to take his plate to the sink and prodded Link in the side with his toe on the way.

“You need to quit being an overdramatic baby, bro. You brought this on yourself.”

Link responded by curling up into a ball with his hands over his head. Corey prodded him again, less gently this time.

“C’mon, dude. Get off my floor. You’re too fucking old to act like this.”

No response.

“Link!” This time, Corey put his entire foot on Link’s side and shoved him across the floor. “Get the fuck up.”

Link rolled over and sat up sulkily. “I’m an asshole,” he said as he pulled himself up with the counter.

“I don’t disagree.” Corey leaned against the counter and folded his arms. “So what are you gonna do about it?”

“Um. Don’t date a guy like Rhett next time?”

Corey pursed his lips and exhaled noisily through his nose is exasperation. “ _No_ , Link.”

“No?”

“I mean, yeah, fine, whatever. I guess that would solve your problem, but you’d still be an asshole.”

It was Link’s turn to be exasperated. “Well, I don’t know, Corey! I can’t exactly apologize to Rhett now. He doesn’t want to talk to me and I don’t blame him. So how do I stop being an asshole?”

“Well, not feeling so sorry for yourself that you fall onto the fucking floor would be a good start,” Corey said. “That’s just pathetic, bro.” He sighed and put an arm around Link’s shoulder. “Look, getting dumped sucks, and getting dumped for something that’s your fault sucks, and you can blame yourself, but you gotta _own_ that blame, man. You’re not the injured party here, y’know?”

“Yeah. Okay.” Link looked down at the floor. He felt awful, guilty and ashamed and dismayed, but Corey was right. Link wasn’t the one who had been wronged. “Will you make me a grilled cheese, even if I am an asshole?”

“Sure.” Corey let go of Link’s shoulder and pulled a pan out of the cupboard. “And I don’t really think you’re an asshole. You just need to get your head straight.”

Link smiled for the first time that day. It wasn’t much of a smile, but it was a start.


	17. Chapter 17

As time went on, Link gradually began to feel better about himself. He still felt a sense of horrible guilt about how he’d treated Rhett, but it faded as time went by.

On the other hand, he had the chance to get into a new relationship, and turned it down. There was a guy he met at his cousin’s wedding, someone’s brother in law or something. They went on a couple dates, there were some sparks, he met all the requirements that Rhett didn’t, but Link just couldn’t do it. Letting the new guy down made him feel like an asshole, of course, but that couldn’t be helped.

Link thought about it for a long time afterwards. Why couldn’t he go through with starting a new relationship? Why was it that every time he kissed the new guy, he missed the feeling of a beard against his face, and when he hugged him, he missed being the shorter of the two? Why did he feel disappointed by the feeling of a dress shirt under his fingers instead of a threadbare t-shirt? Why did he long for lingering cigarette smoke when he smelled cologne?

He missed Rhett, obviously. They’d been broken up now for as long as they’d been together, but Link still missed him as much as he did the day after they broke up. His feelings were that strong.

Link finally came to a conclusion, and it destroyed him.

He loved Rhett.

And it was his fault that Rhett didn’t love him now.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Text from: Marissa

Link’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t spoken to Marissa or Sammi since Rhett dumped him. It was a shame, because they’d become his friends, but they were Rhett’s friends first and he figured they’d be on his side.

(Marissa): link i have a favor to ask

(Marissa): i’m sorry to bother you after so long

(Marissa): but i dont know who else to ask

(Link): you’re not bothering me!

(Link): i missed you

(Link): what do you need?

(Marissa): can i come talk to you in person

(Link): oh

(Link): sure i guess

(Link): i’ll be home after 6:30

He gave her his address, and Marissa said she’d be by around 7.

Link spent the rest of his work day consumed with curiosity and apprehension.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Link nearly jumped out of his skin when Marissa knocked on his door, even though he’d been expecting her. He leapt off the couch and unlocked the door. “Hey, Mar--oh my god, Marissa! What’s wrong?”

She stood in his hallway in her black leggings and denim jacket, but instead of her usual perfect black eyeliner, Marissa’s eyes were red rimmed and swollen with crying. She came in and Link shut the door behind her. 

“It’s Rhett,” she began. “He’s--” Marissa’s gaze focused on something behind Link. “Uh, there’s a guy out there.”

Link glanced over his shoulder. “Oh, fuck, I forgot he was coming over.” It was Corey, of course. “Hang on, I’ll be right back.”

He went into the kitchen and opened the slider. “Hey, bro!” Corey said cheerfully. As usual, he had a pan of something in his hands. 

“Hey, man. Look, I totally forgot you were coming over, and I told Marissa she could come over. It’s kind of an emergency. Can I call you later?” Link asked.

“Sure, no problem.” Corey held out the pan. “Strawberry cream cheese bread pudding.”

“Oh, wow.” Link took the dish. “Thanks, man.”

He put it on the counter and turned back to lock the slider. When he turned back around, Marissa was peeling back the foil cover. “Can I have some of this?” she asked.

“Uh, it’s not vegan,” Link said.

“I’m an environmental vegan, not an ethical vegan,” Marissa said. “I don’t mind eating a little dairy occasionally.”

“Oh. Yeah, sure.” Link pulled out a couple plates and forks and made a mental note to look up environmental veganism later. They sat at his kitchen table. “So, um, what were you saying about Rhett?”

Marissa looked like she was about to burst into tears. “He’s sick.”

Link’s stomach dropped. “What kind of sick?”

“Pneumonia.”

“Oh. Is he gonna be okay?” Pneumonia wasn’t good, but it was better than cancer, which is where Link’s panicky mind had first gone.

Her face crumpled. “Not if he can’t get the antibiotics.”

“Why wouldn’t he?” Link felt lost. Neither of them had touched the bread pudding.

“Because they’re eight hundred dollars!” Marissa wailed. “I’d buy ‘em for him but last month my transmission went out and I had to use all my savings on that.”

Link’s mouth dropped open. “ _Antibiotics_ cost eight hundred dollars?”

“Yeah.” Marissa wiped her face with her sleeve. Link got up and brought her a box of tissues. “Thanks. He already went through one round of the regular antibiotics that cost like ten bucks, but he didn’t get better so when he finally went back to the doctor, they did a culture and it’s some rare strain of bacteria or something.”

“So you need to borrow money?” Link asked. 

Marissa nodded miserably. “I don’t have it, Sammi doesn’t have it, I even called Rhett’s parents--”

“Whoa.” Link’s eyebrows shot up. “They said no?”

“Ha! They wouldn’t even talk to me. Sammi tried, and they wouldn’t talk to her, either.” Marissa’s face curled in disgust. “Assholes.”

“Ugh,” Link said. “Okay.”

“What do you mean, ‘okay’?” Marissa asked.

“I mean, okay, I’ll lend you the money.” Link stabbed his fork into the bread pudding. “Actually, I’ll just give it to you. You don’t have to pay me back.”

Marissa’s mouth dropped open. “Really?”

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I?” Link took a bite of the bread pudding.

“I just…” Marissa looked down. She grabbed her fork and tried the bread pudding. “This is delicious,” she mumbled through her mouthful.

“Everything Corey makes is delicious.”

Marissa swallowed. “I thought I’d have to argue with you more.”

Link tilted his head to the side. “Why?”

“Because of what you said to Rhett when you broke up, I guess.” She poked the bread pudding and wouldn’t meet Link’s eyes. “I was ready to tell you that now was your chance to make it up to him.”

“Oh.” Link chased a piece of strawberry around his plate. “I don’t know what he told you, but I just want to make it clear that I wasn’t being an asshole out of maliciousness or anything. I’m just stupid.”

Marissa snorted into a laugh. “Sorry,” she said.

“No, it’s okay.” Link stabbed the strawberry. “I just wish… well, never mind.”

“You miss him.” It wasn’t a question.

“I do.”

“I didn’t tell him I was coming to see you.”

Link looked up. “I guess you won’t pass on a ‘get well soon’ from me, then?” Marissa shook her head. “Ah, well.”

They finished their bread pudding in silence. “Let’s go to the pharmacy,” Marissa said. “Thank you so much, Link. Sammi and I… well, we were pretty mad at you for treating Rhett like that, but we figured that even if you couldn’t help, you wouldn’t be mad at us for asking.”

Link put their plates in the sink. “Well, I’d give anything to take back what happened, but I can’t, so I guess this is the next best thing.” He grabbed his keys and followed a thoughtful Marissa out the door.


	18. Chapter 18

“So, how _is_ Rhett?” Link asked as he pulled out of the apartment parking lot. The specialty pharmacy where they had to go to get Rhett’s medication was a ways away. It was going to be a long drive.

“He’s really fucking sick,” Marissa said. “Like, he can barely get up. He’s just been lying on the couch and coughing for weeks.”

“No, I meant--”

“I know what you meant,” Marissa snapped. “He’s been a mess, okay? You really fucked him up. He kept writing all these angsty songs and trying to get us to play them. I finally had to tell him we’re not going to be his sad breakup backup band.”

Link felt his face grow hot at the thought of being the subject of angsty breakup songs. “I’m sorry. I just… I didn’t mean to hurt him.” Link glanced over and sighed. Marissa was slumped in her seat, staring out the window. “I don’t know, Marissa. I was just so stupid and oblivious. I don’t know how I missed… well, it doesn’t matter now.”

Marissa turned to him. The flickers of the streetlights they passed illuminated her face. “No, what did you miss?”

Was there any downside to telling her? “Are you gonna tell him what I say?”

“No. I’m not gonna tell him I talked to you at all.”

“Are you gonna tell Sammi?”

Marissa gave him a look that said _you idiot_. “Well, yeah.”

That was about what Link expected. He took a deep breath. This was something he’d been keeping to himself, a secret hurt held close to his heart. He hadn’t even told Corey. It had been months since he’d mentioned Rhett to anyone. “I missed how I felt about him. I hid it from myself, I think, because I didn’t think our lifestyles would fit together. Or whatever.”

Link stopped at a red light. There was a long pause. When the light turned green, Marissa said, “You’re an idiot.”

“I know,” Link replied. “It’s too late, isn’t it?”

“To tell him?”

“Yeah.”

Marissa screwed up her face and thought. “Honestly? I have no idea. But I will say that he did get a new job about a month after he dumped you. Some place that helps local businesses get hooked up with recycling and composting services and that sort of thing. Green shit.”

Link smiled. “Sounds like his kind of thing.”

“It is. And he has benefits and everything. I’m really proud of him.” Marissa smiled and looked away. “But I don’t know what he’d do if you contacted him.”

“I’m not gonna,” Link said firmly. “What’s done is done, and cannot be undone.”

“Macbeth?” Marissa guessed.

“I dunno.” They’d arrived at the pharmacy. Link parked and followed Marissa in to the counter. She spoke with the pharmacist, who confirmed she was authorized to pick up Rhett’s pills, and Link handed over his credit card. Eight hundred dollars after insurance. Christ.

“Thank you,” Marissa said quietly as they got back in the car. The bottle of pills rattled in her bag like a maraca. “You know, I was ready to come and fight you. I was so mad at you for hurting him… I forgot that you’re actually a pretty good guy.”

Link paused before putting the car into drive. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh. That means a lot, coming from you.” Link backed out of the parking space. “Well, you’re welcome.”

They didn’t talk about Rhett at all after that.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rhett was on the couch, half watching the Great British Bake Off when Marissa came home. He was pale and shaky and huddled under a pile of blankets. A box of tissues, a bottle of cough suppressant, and a mug half full of cold tea sat on the table before him.

“Got your pills!” Marissa sang as she rattled the bottle at him. “Jesus, these things are fucking huge.”

Rhett opened his mouth to speak and was overcome by a coughing fit. “How’d you do that?” he asked weakly when he recovered. “Did you pawn your guitar?”

“No, I pawned _your_ guitar,” Marissa replied. She inspected the bottle. “This says you need to eat before taking it.”

“Seriously, Marissa, how did you afford those?” Rhett asked, then coughed some more.

Marissa put the bottle on the table and sighed. “I called in a favor. That’s all I’m gonna tell you. Now, what do you want to eat? Some soup? Toast?”

Rhett glared at her, but he was too weak to argue. “Toast,” he said finally. “With apple butter.”

Marissa leaned over and ruffled his hair. It was getting long, and it had been a while since she bleached it for him, so his dark blonde roots were a couple inches long. “You got it, bud.”

~*~*~*~*~

“Did he help?” Sammi asked quietly when Marissa came into the kitchen where she was lurking. Marissa nodded.

“He didn’t just help,” she murmured back as she pulled a couple slices of bread out of the wrapper. “He paid for the whole thing and said I didn’t have to pay him back.”

“Whoa.” Sammi’s eyebrows shot up. “How’d you get him to agree to that?”

“He offered.” Marissa stuck the bread in the toaster and turned back to Sammi. “He misses Rhett a lot. Said he feels really awful about what happened, but he can’t undo it, so at least he could do this.”

“ _He_ feel awful?” Sammi rolled her eyes. “What an asshole.”

“Link’s not really that much of an asshole,” Marissa argued. “He’s mostly just stupid.”

“Who’s stupid?” Rhett croaked as he shuffled into the kitchen, mug of cold tea protruding from his blanket cocoon. The girls jumped.

“Uh, Darren,” Marissa said quickly, because Rhett apparently hadn’t heard her mention Link. Darren was Sammi’s ex. Rhett snorted, carefully, to avoid setting off a coughing fit.

“That fucker. I actually saw him about a month ago. He looks like shit.”

“Oh?” Sammi said in eager interest.

“Yeah, when I was at John Mason’s party, we ordered pizza from Eastport Pizza and he was the delivery guy. He’s all scruffy and, like, kind of bloated looking? I don’t know what causes that, but it wasn’t good.”

“‘Bloated,’ ick. What a way with words you have.” Marissa plucked the mug from Rhett’s unresisting grasp. “Go lie back down, you fucking invalid. I’ll bring you some more tea in a minute.”

“That was close,” Sammi whispered when Rhett was back on the couch. “I will agree that he can be pretty stupid, though.”

“Which one?” Marissa asked. The toaster popped up two pieces of toast. “Link or Darren? Or maybe Rhett.”

Sammi snickered. “Well, I wasn’t thinking of Rhett, but that works. I meant Link. Darren’s, like, actively and knowingly an asshole. Link’s just, um…”

“Oblivious?” Marissa supplied. She glopped apple butter out onto the toast. Sammi reached out and swiped up a blob that landed on the counter.

“Yeah.” She licked her finger. “I kinda miss Link. I’ve never seen Rhett laugh as hard before or since.”

“Yeah, well…” Marissa flipped the butter knife into the sink, where it landed with a clatter. “Can’t do anything about it now.”

“Nope,” Sammi agreed.

“Do you think Rhett can swallow that huge fucking pill without choking?” Marissa asked.

“Hell, no.”

~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Link didn’t expect to hear anything more from Marissa, but a month later he got a text.

Text from: Marissa

(Marissa): just wanted to let you know that rhett is better

(Marissa): still real weak

(Marissa): lost a lot of weight

(Marissa): but he’s out of the woods

Rhett hadn’t had much weight to lose to begin with. Link frowned. 

(Link): thank you for letting me know

(Link): i was worried about him

(Marissa): well here’s something new to worry about

(Marissa): i just told him you’re the one who paid for the pills

Link’s stomach dropped.

(Link): why???

(Marissa): he twisted my arm

(Marissa): not literally

(Link): well fuck

(Link): what did he say?

(Marissa): he asked me about you

(Marissa): and i told him to text you if he really wants to know

(Link): WHY

(Marissa): bc i don’t want to be caught in the middle of this

(Marissa): so if he texts so i’m sorry

(Marissa): or you’re welcome

(Marissa): whatever

(Marissa): ok bye

“Ugh!” Link dropped his phone onto his desk with a clatter and dropped his head into his hands. He’d deleted Rhett’s number months ago. “I’m so ready to be done with this.” 

But he knew that if Rhett texted him, he wouldn’t be able to resist texting back.


	19. Chapter 19

“You did _what_?” Rhett asked in astonishment.

“I had to!” Marissa protested. “You were _dying_.”

“I was _not_ dying,” he retorted.

“Really? Because when you called that pulmonologist and asked if there was a cheaper alternative and he said, ‘that _is_ the cheaper alternative’, as opposed to getting admitted to the hospital or whatever, and you said you were just gonna have to risk it, I could hear him telling you that was very, very dangerous. I was standing right next to you!” She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “You took ‘em, didn’t you?”

Rhett sat on the threadbare couch and dropped his head into his hands. “Well, yeah. I mean, you can’t exactly return things to the pharmacy, and I thought you’d done something really drastic to get them. Instead of, y‘know, just asking my _fucking ex_ to pay for them!” He looked up. “What did he say when you asked?”

“He said I didn’t have to pay him back,” Marissa answered.

“Oh,” said Rhett, like that hadn’t even occurred to him. “I mean, that’s good. But that’s not really what I meant.”

“I know what you meant.” Marissa wasn’t exactly eager to tell him that Link still had feelings for him. She didn’t feel ready for Breakup Songs: The Sequel.

“Oh, come _on_!” Rhett yelled. He started coughing, but recovered quickly. “Why are you always like this?”

“You mean, why am I concerned about your well-being, both physical and emotional, when you aren’t? Argh!” Marissa threw up her hands. “He’s your ex for a _reason_ , dumbass! I assume you still have his number? Yeah? Then just fucking text him and ask him yourself!” She turned and stomped up the stairs. Rhett watched her go, dark eyebrows raised.

“What the fuck was that?” he mumbled to himself. His eyes flickered over to his phone with its cracked screen. His new job had been kind enough to hold his place while he was out sick for a month and a half, but not kind enough to pay him during that time. It was going to be a while before he’d be able to replace it, but at least it was in the foreseeable future now.

Rhett was not an overthinker. Quite the opposite, in fact. He made a decision and acted on it, usually with very little forethought. This time, however, he actually considered his options.

He’d been tempted to text Link a few times soon after they broke up, usually when he was particularly sad and drunk, but somehow managed to avoid it. Rhett also wanted to text him when he got his new, much better job ( _See? I’m_ not _completely stuck!_ ), but didn’t.

Marissa’s reaction made him suspect that Link wouldn’t be upset to hear from Rhett. Knowing her, if Link didn’t want anything to do with Rhett, she’d straight up tell him, ‘Yeah, he said he doesn’t want you to die, even though you’re a loser,’ and be done with it.

But even if Link turned out to be absolutely delighted to hear from Rhett, would it be a good idea?

Probably not, but he picked up his phone anyway.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Not five minutes after Marissa texted him, Link’s phone buzzed with another text. “Oh, fuck!” he whispered. His stomach dropped and he thought he might throw up. Link picked up the phone with shaking fingers.

Text from: Corey

(Corey): gonna make cornish game hens tonight

(Corey): you’re welcome as always

“Ugh!” Link almost threw his phone across the room before slamming it down onto the couch cushion beside him. He felt like a complete idiot. When Marissa asked him for help, all his old feelings for Rhett (and the ones he realized he had after they broke up) reignited. They’d subsided some over the past month, mostly because Rhett hadn’t known anything about it.

But this new text was even worse than that. Now Link knew that Rhett knew that Link still had feelings, at least enough to spend eight hundred dollars on antibiotics and not care about getting paid back. And there was nothing Link could do about it! He’d rather jump off a bridge than ask Marissa for Rhett’s number, so the ball was entirely in Rhett’s court.

Link groaned and picked up his phone. What a waste of time. He’d be better off eating dinner at Corey’s. Again. He picked up his phone to reply, but as soon as he picked it up, it vibrated with a new text.

Text from: Unknown

(Unknown): hey

(Link): is this rhett?

(Unknown): yeah

“Oh, _fuck_.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Text to: Link

(Rhett): hey

(Link): is this rhett?

(Rhett): yeah

There was no answer. Knowing Link, he was probably freaking out. Rhett put the phone on the table and went to get a mug of tea from the kitchen.

He had an answer when he returned.

(Link): hi

Rhett snorted. That was about what he’d expected.

(Rhett): thanks for paying for the pills

(Rhett): you didn’t have to do that

(Rhett): but i really appreciate it

(Link): it was the right thing to do

(Link): even if i hated you

(Link): which to be clear i don’t

(Link): and never did

(Rhett): i see you haven’t learned how to chill out 

(Link): no

(Link): you know how i am

Rhett certainly did.

(Rhett): so

(Rhett): you don’t hate me

(Link): of course not

(Link): you might hate me though

(Rhett): nah

(Rhett): you weren’t wrong about a lot of things

(Rhett): but you’re kind of a dick

(Link): i know

(Link): i’m sorry

(Link): i ‘ve been wanting to apologize for a long time

(Rhett): is that why you paid for my pills

(Rhett): bc you feel guilty?

(Link): that may have been a factor

Rhett tapped his fingers on the back of his phone thoughtfully. He missed Link, he really did. So much, in fact, that it made him stupid.

(Rhett): do you want to get coffee sometime?

The response was immediate.

(Link): yes

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Link got to the coffeeshop first. He got an iced coffee and went out to the little alley patio. It was where they broke up, so maybe not the best place for a possible reconciliation, but it was his favorite spot in the coffeeshop. He settled in and gazed at the trellis of morning glories. They were lush and beautiful, blue and pink and purple blooms suspended on green tendrils.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he barely noticed when the door opened. “Hey,” said a familiar voice. 

Link jumped and turned around. “Oh! Rhett!” he said. “You look…” Skinny? Beautiful? Different? He settled on, “I like your hair.”

“Yeah?” Rhett ran his hand across his hair. It was shorter than he’d ever had it before, and it was back to its natural color, a dark blonde. His beard was trimmed as well. “It’s been a long fucking time since I had it like this.”

“It looks good,” Link said. He was grinning like a fool. “ _You_ look good. Different, but good.” Rhett still had his leather jacket and ripped jeans, but along with his short hair, he wore a plain white t-shirt and checkered Vans. He was very thin and looked tired, but Link still thought he was gorgeous.

Rhett slipped into the chair across from Link and smiled shyly. “Did Marissa tell you I got a new job?”

“Yeah. Some environmental thing. Did they tell you to change your hair?”

Rhett shook his head. “When I started getting sick, it was already pretty grown out, and by the time I got well enough to leave the house, I just had Marissa cut it off instead of bleaching it again. It was pretty fried, anyway.”

“It’s curly!” Link longed to reach out and run his hands through it, but he kept his hands folded in his lap.

“Yeah, bleach messes up your hair texture.” Rhett self-consciously passed his hand over it again. “My job _does_ have a dress code, though.”

“You’re not at work, though.” Link giggled, a little nervously. “You like wearing new things?”

“Kiiiind of,” Rhett admitted. “You look good, too.”

Link didn’t know what to say, so he picked up his coffee and took a sip. For someone who dumped him for being an oblivious idiot, Rhett was being awfully nice to him. Link didn’t know what to make of it.

“I need to tell you something,” Rhett said.

“Oh?” Link tried to sound casual. He didn’t think he succeeded.

“Yeah.” Rhett took a deep breath. “You were right.”

“Sorry?”

“You were right,” Rhett repeated. “I wasn’t financially stable, I wasn’t going anywhere, I wasn’t willing to go outside my comfort zone. So I decided to make some changes.”

“O… okay?” Link said. “I didn’t… I wasn’t trying to make you change!”

“You didn’t _make_ me change, dumbass!” Rhett threw up his tattooed hands. “It was my choice! Don’t give yourself so much credit.”

“I’m sorry!” Link didn’t know what to think. He’d crashed into Rhett’s life and disrupted everything. Rhett didn’t seem to be upset anymore, but Link still felt guilty.

Rhett looked at him and furrowed his brow. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“No, Rhett, I’m not okay! I don’t know what’s going on! You dumped me and I deserved it, but now you’re saying that I was right? Are you just being nice because I paid for your medication?” Link could tell his face was bright red.

Rhett shook his head. “You’re doing that panicky, overthinking thing again,” he said. “It’s not that deep, Link. I’m being nice to you because I like you.”

Link’s brain screeched to a halt. “Uh…”

“I was really mad at you for a long time. I wrote a lot of really angsty lyrics about it,” Rhett said.

“Yeah, Marissa told me. Were they any good?”

“Nah.” Rhett shook his head again. “It was a lot of cliche crap. But once I got that out of my system… I started thinking about all the stuff you said. About how no one would ever mistake me for who I was, even if I wore a suit. And you went on that business trip and I was jealous, because I could never take a trip like that. So I decided to see if I could get a different job, and maybe be that somebody that you talked about. Even though, you know, we never saw each other again.”

“Rhett…” Link said weakly.

“And I started to miss you, but I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me, but then you paid for those fucking pills.”

“I missed you, too,” Link said quietly. He stared at Rhett, blue eyes wide. Rhett met his gaze, green eyes equally wide. There was a long moment of silence.

“So, do you want to start over?” Rhett asked. “See if I’m that somebody now?”

Link laughed in disbelief. “I think you were always that somebody, but I just couldn’t see it.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes, it is a yes.” Link giggled in delight. Rhett stood up and opened his arms for a hug. Link leapt up and threw his arms around Rhett’s neck. “I missed you so much!” he mumbled into the lapel of Rhett’s jacket.

“I missed you, too.” Rhett rested his lips against the top of Link’s head. It wasn’t quite a kiss, but it was a promise of future kisses.


	20. Chapter 20

Link pulled up in front of the rundown house. Rhett wasn’t smoking on the porch like he usually was when Link came to pick him up, so Link put the car into park and climbed up the rickety steps to knock on the front door. There was a flicker of movement behind the pebbled glass of the semicircular window at the top of the door. It swung open to reveal Sammi. Her hair was an ombre orange-yellow and pulled up in a messy bun. It kind of made her head look like it was on fire. Her mouth dropped open.

“ _Link?_ ” she gasped. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Um. I’m here to get Rhett? He asked me out again,” Link said. “He didn’t tell you?”

“No!” Sammi turned around and yelled Rhett’s name into the house. “What’d he do that for? He fucking dumped you.”

“Um, he said he missed me.” Link could tell his face was turning pink. He dearly wished Rhett would materialize and deal with this. Apparently, Sammi did, too, because she turned around and called Rhett again.

“Coming!” There was a clatter of sneakers and Rhett appeared on the stairs. “Link!” he said in sincere delight.

Link broke into a grin. “Hey.” Sammi rolled her eyes in a clear display of _I think this is a bad idea but you do you_ and disappeared back into the dining room.

“So what do you want to do?” Link asked as Rhett locked the door behind him and they went down to the car. “Anything in particular, or just hang out?”

“Well, I do need a favor,” Rhett admitted.

Link’s stomach dropped just a tiny bit. “What kind of a favor?” Was this all just because Rhett needed something?

“I need to buy a shirt.”

“A shirt?” Link repeated, making sure he’d heard correctly.

“A nice shirt. My boss told me I can’t wear a t-shirt if I want to come to the meeting with a big client on Tuesday,” Rhett said. Link burst into laughter. “What?”

“Remember when we were talking about suits?” Rhett nodded. “That is literally the scenario I said it was good to have nice clothes for.”

“Oh,” Rhett said. “Yeah, I guess it was.”

“So why do you need my help to buy a dress shirt?” Link asked. “You just...pick a shirt you like and try it on. It’s not exactly rocket science.”

“Well, I don’t know, Link! I’ve never bought a dress shirt.”

Link turned looked at him in outright disbelief. “Ever?”

“Ever.”

“Even when you were growing up? With your fancy uniforms and all that.”

“Nope. All that stuff just sort of appeared.” Rhett made a gesture that Link interpreted as a shirt-creating spell cast by a lackadaisical wizard. “I’d buy myself t-shirts and hoodies and stuff, but never nice clothes.”

“Okay. Um, is The Gap okay?” The look on Rhett’s face was so comical that Link burst into laughter again. “They have a good Tall selection! I’m not, like, trying to prepify you.”

Rhett gave him a suspicious look. “Promise?”

“Rhett, I couldn’t if I tried. Promise.”

“Yeah, okay then.” Link put the car into drive and they were off.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“When’s the last time you were in a place like this?” Link asked as Rhett looked around in astonishment.

“It has to be at least five or six years,” Rhett said. “And I went outside to smoke pretty quick and didn’t come back in.”

“Did you have to quit?” Link asked. “With the pneumonia, I mean.”

“Yeah. That’s actually how I figured I was in real trouble, when I couldn’t smoke because I literally could not stop coughing. Haven’t had one in almost two months.” Rhett shook his head. “I even smoked through the flu a couple years ago, and yes, it was the actual flu. Marissa made me go to the doctor and they did a test.”

“She’s a good friend.”

“Not good enough to quit smoking with me,” Rhett said. “There are too many fucking choices in this store. Jesus Christ.”

“No, you’re just used to not having choices,” Link corrected. “Look, just pick something from this little section, okay?” He gestured to a rack of shirts.

Rhett flicked through them. Navy, white, blue plaid, gray, olive. He pulled out a charcoal gray one and held it up to himself. “Yeah?”

“Had to pick the closest thing to black, huh?” Link teased. He pulled one of the olive green shirts off the rack and handed it to Rhett. “Try this one, too.”

Rhett held it up. “Green, really?”

“Yeah! It’ll look really good with your eyes and hair. Um.” Link shifted his weight from foot to foot nervously. “It feels weird to compliment you.”

Rhett looked up from where he’d drifted to the next rack of shirts. “Why? You did it at the coffee shop the other day.”

“That felt weird, too.” Link shoved his hands into his hoodie pockets. 

“Why?” Rhett held up a black shirt. “What do you think of this one?”

“You do not need another fucking black shirt, Rhett. What you need is wardrobe diversity,” Link said. “And it feels weird because I don’t know where we stand.”

Rhett put the black shirt back, a little sadly, and pulled out a brick red plaid. “Can’t we just be two guys who like each other?” He stared at the shirt doubtfully.

“What, like pre-boyfriends? Or at least possible pre-boyfriends?” Link asked. “And can I pick out some shirts for you?”

“Yeah.” 

“Is that yeah, we’re possible pre-boyfriends, or yeah, I can pick out some shirts for you?”

Rhett smirked, and Link knew exactly what was coming. “Yeah.” Link punched him in the arm. “Ow!”

“Jerk,” Link said fondly. Rhett trailed behind him as Link wandered through the racks of clothing and selected four or five shirts. “Ready to try these on?”

“Do I have to?” Rhett made a face.

“Well, how stupid are you going to feel if you get home and the sleeves don’t even reach your wrists?” Link asked. “I mean, you’re absurdly tall. I’d be shocked if even half of those fit decently.”

“Ugh, fine.” Rhett gathered the shirts up and marched off to the dressing room. After half an hour of cursing, arguing, and encouragement, he was left with two shirts: the olive green one and one in a dark cobalt blue print.

“What is this, anyway?” Rhett held the shirt up to inspect the pattern. “Grass?”

Link looked at it, frowning as he tilted his head from side to side. “I think it’s supposed to be bamboo leaves,” he said finally. 

“Well, I don’t love it, but I’m also not trying on any more shirts. Let’s get out of here.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Eighty five fucking dollars for two shirts,” Rhett complained as they returned to the car. “Shit like this is why I don’t buy new clothes.”

“I thought you didn’t like to buy anything new because the production of new clothes is terrible for the environment.” Rhett had made his views on new clothing clear every time Link got something new. It got old pretty quickly.

“That too. But I don’t have time to go to the thrift store and spend eight fucking hours until I find something that fits and looks good and that I actually like! I had to buy jeans online, too. Do you know how much water is wasted in making jeans?” Rhett was beginning to get heated.

“You can buy secondhand clothes online, you know,” Link said. “I started doing that a few months ago.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, I heard that buying new clothes is terrible for the environment.” Link grinned at Rhett’s delighted laugh. He’d missed it so much. “So what do you want to do now?”

Rhett leered at him. “You wanna come back to my place?”

Link put his hand on his heart and gasped in faux shock. “Rhett McLaughlin! What on earth are you suggesting?”

“I haven’t had sex in seven months. I want to get my hands all over you. I want to bend you over and fuck you into the mattress. I want to fucking wreck you, Link.” He paused. “I mean, if you’re okay with that.”

“I am absolutely okay with that,” Link said. He turned on the car and headed back to Rhett’s place.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to @sohox for writing most of this chapter!

“You should put that green shirt on, so I can take it off of you,” Link said. Despite their talk in the car, they ended up just standing nervously together in Rhett’s room instead of falling into bed.

“Sure.” Rhett hiked his shirt off. Link sucked in a breath at how visible his ribs were. He reached out and gently touched Rhett’s side.

“Holy shit. How much weight did you lose?”

“I dunno. We don’t have a scale. Twenty pounds, maybe twenty five?” Rhett shrugged. “Marissa’s been making me milkshakes with heavy cream in them to try and fatten me up.”

“Mm.” Link wrapped his arms around Rhett and laid his face on the taller man’s bare shoulder. He frowned and slid down to press his ear against Rhett’s chest. “You’re wheezing.”

“Yeah, that happens. It’ll go away. Eventually.”

Link looked up at him. “You sure you have the energy to pound me into the mattress? You look exhausted.”

Rhett raised an eyebrow and pulled Link up to murmur into his ear. “I don’t need to fuck you to wreck you, Link. I can do it with just my tongue and my fingers.”

“You can do whatever you want to me.” Link pressed his pelvis against Rhett. They were both already rock hard.

Rhett reached down and grabbed Link’s ass. His hands were big enough that his fingertips dug deep in a most delicious way. “What I wanna do is kiss you,” he said, and did.

Link could have sworn he saw fireworks. Their first kiss had been a drunken fumble that he could barely remember, and the ones after that had been fueled more by lust than anything else. But this one, after he’d spent so much time feeling guilty and beating himself up over hurting Rhett, felt like a redemption. It was sweet and gentle, with his hands on Rhett’s chest and Rhett’s hands on his waist. It felt like forgiveness.

And it didn’t taste like cigarettes, which was great.

All too soon, Rhett pulled back and broke the kiss. Link whimpered and stood on his tiptoes to chase it. Rhett took pity on him before pushing him away. “Get on the bed.”

Link backed up until his legs hit the edge of the mattress and he toppled over backwards. Rhett climbed on top of him and ground their pelvises together while he whispered all the filthy things he wanted to do to Link into his ear. “I’ve been dreaming about getting my mouth on you again,” he said softly, nipping at the soft flesh of Link’s earlobe.

His fingers found the hem of Link’s shirt, pulling it up and over his head before he sat back, staring down with hungry eyes at the expanse of Link’s smooth skin. His hand reached out, the smallest tremble coursing through his fingers as they made contact with Link’s belly. 

“Oh, yeah,” Link snickered. “Definitely gonna wreck me with these soft touches and your heart eyes.”

Rhett laughed. He suddenly grabbing Link’s hips, pulling him forward and opening the button and zipper of Link’s fly, tugging his jeans down roughly over his throbbing cock.

Link looked up at his face, taking in Rhett’s wild eyes, pupils blown dark with lust. “ _Fuck_ ,” Link whimpered, a delicious ache blooming in his belly. He had missed this, the way Rhett made him the center of his attention. The hungry look in Rhett’s eyes made Link’s whole body erupt into goosebumps. 

“Yeah, _fuck_ ,” Rhett dove forward, crushing their mouths together roughly, cupping Link’s chin in his hand, then pushing it to the side so he could get at the smooth skin of his throat. He sucked at the tendons in Link’s neck, blossoming purple marks left in his wake, before kissing down Link’s chest, circling a budded nipple into his mouth, nipping with his teeth, earning a constant stream of groans from Link’s bruised lips. 

His fingers trailed ahead, slipping down Link’s belly to tangle into the curls at the base of his cock. Rhett kissed the same path, looking up to watch Link’s face as he made his way down, mouth meeting his hand where they both wrapped around Link’s cock. 

“Fuck, _yeah_ ,” Link arched his back, pushing his hips up, cock pushing further into Rhett’s hot mouth, sliding over his tongue and pressing into his throat. Rhett moaned, loud and wanton, around his thick shaft. Link buried his fingers in Rhett’s sandy hair, holding him in place. “I fucking missed your mouth, Rhett. I missed _all_ of you, but fuck, you know how to use your mouth.”

Rhett moaned again, pulling back only to take him even deeper. He pushed Link’s thighs apart, pulling one up over his shoulder before pulling off of his cock with a slick pop. He was breathing hard, mouth shining with spit. Link locked eyes with him and Rhett’s expression looked nothing short of delighted. He shot Link a filthy grin before diving back in, pressing his face right into the cleft of Link’s ass, tongue finding its target immediately. He wasted no time, licking broad stripes against his puckered skin. He paused just long enough to call out, _“_ Lube! _”_ , pointing a finger toward the shoddy nightstand next to Link’s head. 

Link was also panting hard, trying to focus, trying to think of anything except the feeling of Rhett’s tongue pressing into him. They’d barely started and he was already feeling like he was falling apart and if he couldn’t get it together, this would be over before they’d barely gotten started. He reached up to dig in the bin, pulling out a bottle of lube and a condom for good measure, tossing them both down toward Rhett. The moment his hands were free again he fisted them into the sheets, back arching high as he rode Rhett’s face. 

Rhett pulled back, mouth shining, breath coming in gulps as he popped the cap on the bottle of lube, slicking up his fingers. He sunk his middle and ring finger in, and though Link was tight, he took them easily, body opening up under Rhett’s touch. They both groaned loudly as Rhett’s long fingers sank in. It didn’t take long for Rhett to find a rhythm, fingers beckoning forward, ghosting over Link’s prostate with every slide of his hand. 

“Rhett, fuck, please, I can’t take it. I’m gonna cum. _Please_ just fuck me already.”

Rhett tore the condom open, fingers slipping over the foil packet. He rolled it on before giving his cock a quick tug, coating himself in the thick lube still all over his hand. 

“Yeah, yeah, c’mon.” Link was getting bossy and impatient. He wrapped his legs around Rhett’s waist and using them to pull him forward. 

“I got you, baby. I promised you I was going to wreck you.” Rhett grinned, kissing Link deep while he lined himself up. Link placed his hand against Rhett’s throat, feeling his pulse jackhammering under his palm. 

“You okay?” he asked, voice more sincere, more worried than the moment strictly called for. 

Rhett didn’t bother to answer. Instead he thrust his hips forward, sinking his cock in to the hilt in one smooth move. They both gasped in unison. Rhett buried his face in Link’s neck as he started to rock his hips, building speed as soon as Link started meeting his thrusts. Rhett sucked at the soft flesh behind Link’s ear as he fucked into him, nipping at his earlobe, both reveling in the feeling of Rhett’s cock splitting Link open. 

“Harder,” Link gasped into the thick air of the room, wrapping his legs tighter around Rhett’s hips. Rhett canted his hips harder, picking up the pace, pulling harsh moans from Link’s throat. Link felt like he was flying underneath Rhett, body thrumming with the familiar feeling of Rhett being inside of him, feeling like they’d never stopped this in the first place. 

Suddenly, Rhett collapsed onto Link’s chest, thudding heavy onto the smaller man’s body, chest heaving with the struggle to catch his breath. “Rhett! Fuck! Are you okay?” Link pushed at him, hands flying to Rhett’s face, turning it up so that he could look at him. Rhett was panting hard, wheezing with every breath in. 

“I’m okay, I’m fine. Just… just trying not to die right now. Gimme a minute.” He flopped off of Link, laying on his back and staring straight up at the ceiling, one hand on his chest as if he was feeling for his own thundering heart. 

“We don’t have to…” Link started, reaching to take the condom off of Rhett’s still hard cock. “We can just…”

Rhett swatted his hand away. “Nuh uh…” he said between breaths. “No, I’ve waited seven months for this. There’s no way I’m not…” he stopped again, coughing a little. After the coughing subsided, he turned to Link, cupping his face in his hands. “Please Link. I want to feel you. I _need_ to.” 

Link crawled over to him and threw his leg over Rhett’s hip, sinking himself down onto Rhett’s shaft. “Looks like I’m gonna be the one to wreck you, then,” he grinned, before starting to grind, bouncing up and down until they were both groaning with it. Rhett held onto Link’s hip with one hand as he rode him, the other pressing against his lower belly, thumb stroking his pelvis as if he could feel himself through the muscles of Link’s body. Rhett wrapped his hand around Link’s leaking cock, thumb smearing precum all over his head. Link cried out, tossing his head back as his hips stuttered at the feeling. His reaction fueled the flames building in Rhett’s belly, spurring him forward to stroke Link faster, flicking his wrist on every upstroke, just how he remembered Link loved it. 

It had been months, but Rhett still remembered exactly how to play Link’s body, like a fine tuned instrument, the moans and whines falling from his lips in a perfect song. It was everything Rhett had been missing, and as Link fell apart on top of him, he thought, _yes,_ and _mine,_ and he came with shuddering gasp, Link’s name on his lips. 


	22. Chapter 22

“What’s going on in your head, Link? I can hear the little wheels spinning away in there.”

“Nothin’.” They were tucked under the worn blankets on Rhett’s bed. One of the few things he’d kept from his childhood was an afghan crocheted by his grandmother. The center was the baby blanket she’d crocheted before he was born, and every year for his birthday, she added a border so it grew along with him. It had sixteen borders, because she passed away a year before he left home. He’d never said, but Link got the feeling that his grandmother’s passing had been a significant factor in Rhett’s decision to leave. She gave him the love his parents didn’t.

“You’re such a shitty liar,” Rhett said.

“I slept with somebody else.” There was a tight little knot of guilt and anxiety in Link’s stomach. “And it just felt wrong. It was… it just made me realize how strongly I felt about you, but you were my ex, so I did my best to get over it. But now you’re back, and I don’t know what to think.”

“Strong feelings, huh?” Rhett rubbed Link’s back soothingly. “Do you have any other kind?”

“Not really, no.” Link grinned at him. “In fact, I feel strongly that you should put on those nice new jeans and your nice new shirt and let me admire you.”

Rhett slid himself out from under the blankets and stumbled around the room while he got dressed. When he finished, he stood in front of the bed and held his arms out to the side. “Well?”

Link sat up and wrapped his arms around his legs. “You look amazing, Rhett! That green looks so good on you.”

“It feels weird.” Rhett smoothed the fabric of the shirt over his torso. “Fake.”

“Like you’re a business casual poseur?”

“Yeah.”

Link slapped the bed next to him “Come sit with me.” When Rhett did, he wrapped his arms around him. “It doesn’t matter how you dress, Rhett. You’re still _you_. And you can’t hide it.” He reached up to trace the California outline behind Rhett’s ear and then gently flicked his pierced ear. “But I will say, you look really fucking hot like this.”

“Do… do you like it more than how I really dress?” There was a note of apprehension in Rhett’s voice. Link, always the overthinker, quickly assumed that Rhett was worried that he, Link, would now pester him, Rhett, to abandon his true punk self and adopt this business casual persona.

“No! I love punk Rhett. It’s just nice to have a little variety.”

“You love punk Rhett, huh?” The truth hovered there in the air, like a delicate soap bubble that might burst at the smallest disturbance. Link was almost too afraid to speak, as if voicing it might destroy it.

Finally, he said, in the smallest, quietest voice, “Yeah.”

In response, Rhett buried his face against Link’s shoulder and hugged him tight. They sat like that, wrapped around each, for a long time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After Link left, Rhett lounged on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table. He flicked through Netflix, looking for something he didn’t hate, or at least hadn’t seen a million times already. He settled on The Office, because he loved it and Sammi hated it, but she was at work for her night shift.

The front door opened. “Rhett, what the fuck? You’re seeing Link again?” Marissa dropped her bag on the floor. “And what the fuck are you wearing?”

Rhett paused his show. “A shirt,” he replied. 

“It’s _green_. I haven’t seen you wear green since… I can’t even remember. And I know it’s been even longer since you wore something with buttons that wasn’t made of flannel. Looks good, though.” She remembered she was supposed to be interrogating him about Link. “Anyway. Sammi texted me and said Link came over and picked you up.”

Rhett nodded. “Yeah, we went shirt shopping.”

“This isn’t a joke, Rhett!” 

“ _You’re_ the one who suggested I text him. And you’re the one who contacted him again in the first place!” That being settled, he unpaused the TV. Marissa stood in front of it. Rhett hit pause again. “Just say your piece and get out of the damn way,” he said, irritated.

“I don’t want you to get hurt again.”

“Well, I appreciate that, but it’s not up to you.” Rhett lifted the remote. Instead of moving from in front of the TV, Marissa just crossed her arms and glared at him. He lowered the remote and glared back. “Look, he was right that I wasn’t really going anywhere, so I’ve been working on that. And he did love me. Still does. So just let me live my fucking life, okay?”

Marissa opened her mouth, closed it, and stomped off.

Rhett unpaused the TV.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Do you really think getting back with your ex is a good idea?” Corey asked.

“I honestly don’t care,” Link said. They were sitting on their respective patios with their respective drinks of choice (beer for Link, gin and tonic for Corey). “He’s the one who asked me out again, and if he’s willing to try again, that’s good enough for me. You know how much I missed him.”

Corey sipped his drink. “And you think he’s serious about this job?”

“Serious enough that he asked me to take him shopping for new clothes, which is about as out-of-character as you can get for him. So yeah, pretty serious.”

“Well, best wishes, bro.” Corey held out his glass and Link clinked his bottle against it. They both drank.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Text to: Rhett

(Link): how was your meeting???

(Rhett): woulda been more interesting if i’d been allowed to participate

(Rhett): but i was just there to observe

(Rhett): sit down, shut up, take notes

(Link): but you didn’t hate it

(Rhett): i did not hate it

(Link): i’m really proud of you

(Rhett): i’m proud of me too

(Rhett): which is kind of new

(Link): does it feel good?

(Rhett): fuck yeah it does

(Rhett): i could get used to this

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sammi stood at the front window and watched through the blinds as Rhett loaded a bag into the trunk of Link’s car. “Was this your plan all along?” she asked Marissa as the two men drove off on their weekend trip. It took a few months, but Rhett finally had enough saved.

“My ‘plan’?” Marissa asked from the dining room, where she and Sammi had been practicing.

Sammi dropped the blinds. “Yeah, when you asked me if I thought Link would pay for the pills.”

“No, that was _your_ suggestion.”

“Was not.” Sammi got back behind the drum kit.

“Was too.” 

“Was not.”

“Look, if it _was_ my suggestion, which it was not, my only plan was to see if we could stop Rhett from drowning in his own fluids.” Marissa struck a pose and played a dramatic chord.

“Gross.”

“God, remember those horrible gurgling noises he made? Now _those_ were gross.” Marissa threw back her head in laughter as Sammi pretended to vomit on the floor. “What did you think my plan was?”

“To get them back together!” Sammi gestured a drumstick at the door. “They’re adorable.”

“Oh.” Marissa shook her head. “No, I started thinking about that when Link told me how much he missed Rhett. I mean, you’ve seen them!” She threw a hand towards the door as well. “They’re stupid over each other.”

“I know. It makes me really happy.” Sammi smiled.

“Me, too. I was kind of jealous of Link at first, ‘cause I was afraid he was gonna take Rhett away from me, or try to change him,” Marissa admitted.

“But he didn’t.”

“No, kind of the opposite, really. So I’m glad he’s back.”

“Me, too.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was chilly and overcast, so the two men had the botanical garden mostly to themselves. They strolled hand in hand through a wintery Japanese garden. Leafless maple trees stretched above a smooth-as-glass koi pond.

“This would be better in spring, when all these azaleas bloom,” Link said.

Rhett touched one of the bushes lining the path. “Is that what these are?”

“Yeah. My mom had a couple in our yard when I was growing up. One pink, one red.” Link grinned up at Rhett. “They’re really, really poisonous. Like, so poisonous that even honey made from their nectar is poisonous.”

Rhett nodded, impressed. “That’s hardcore.”

Link pulled him into a little alcove of evergreens surrounding a carved stone pagoda. He put his arms around Rhett’s neck. “I love you, Rhett.”

Rhett leaned over to kiss him. “Love you, too, baby.” He had on his patched pants and boots, but instead of his leather jacket, he wore the black coat stolen from the movie theater. Link complained about being poked by the leather jacket’s studs, so Rhett didn’t wear it around him.

Link, on the other hand, _did_ wear his leather jacket around Rhett. It was very simple, just a zip up in supple charcoal leather that Link found on eBay, and it was in no way the leather jacket that Rhett had imagined him in. But unlike the imaginary jacket, this one suited Link. It wasn’t a costume and it wasn’t something Rhett forced him into. It was real and sincere and genuine. Rhett loved seeing him in it, and he loved feeling the smooth leather under his hands.

“You make me so happy,” Link murmured. “I still can’t believe you took a chance on me at that party.” Rhett reached up and ran his fingers through Link’s thick, dark hair. His own hair was still its natural color, for now. He kept threatening to bleach it again, much to Link’s dismay.

“I’m a sucker for those blue eyes, Link. Always have been.” He kissed Link again. “Always will be.” 

“Never thought I’d fall in love with a punk.” Link’s face lit up with happiness. “Never thought a punk would fall in love with me, either.”

Rhett threw back his head and laughed. As always, it made Link melt with affection. “You think I ever imagined falling in love with a preppy dork with a pink shirt?”

“Well, I’m glad you did.”

“I’m glad I did, too.”

They kissed once more, and then walked out of the alcove, hand in hand, and on to the rest of their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Visit us on tumblr!  
> @pinecontents  
> @soho-x


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